


Comet

by drowsytown



Series: Lyrune Trio [1]
Category: Lyrune Trio
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:27:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 30,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23993758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drowsytown/pseuds/drowsytown
Summary: Comet is an adventure through the minds of children within an ever changing universe. When students start becoming beings smarter than the oldest philosopher, the sky begins to fall and shatter, and even the first living creations live again- nine people are selected to explore the start of the possible end of everyone's existence.
Relationships: Kip/Jackson, Lin/Emmi, Lin/Emmi/Jackson, Lin/Ezell, Misery/Lin, Sean/Kip, other - Relationship
Series: Lyrune Trio [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1730197
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

"You can see the greatest skies and climb the highest mountains, but in the end you can only do so little with what you can see."

4:50 AM.  
I swear, why do they force us to wake at this hour? There's nothing important to do at 5 AM!  
5:00 AM.  
Speak of the devil.  
The morning radio faintly plays some of the oldest musicians. Classical, jazz, rock- its here, and it's playing me to get up and be productive. I pull myself up, tearing the sheets off of my unnaturally short body. Getting up was always a pain, considering the bed is practically half my height off of the ground.

Jumping down, standing for a second to finally get a sense of a sane mind, I could actually see the bedroom in color.  
Blue. Lots of blue. That's our last name: Blue. Nothing special. Nothing cool like Star, or Daniels, or Gowin. Nothing interesting. We're just Blue. Not sad, just Blue.

The walk to the closet was horribly long. Why'd he get such a big house? Oh, right. The kitchen. Cooking. Of course. Finally, there. Different colors and shades were arranged accordingly on the racks. Shoes, socks, undergarments. All color coded and precisely organized in their containers. I took what my dad preferred: a polo, hoodie, shorts and shoes. Simple but comfortable. It may be what my dad likes and not exactly my choice, but it serves a function and benefits.

I grabbed one of the combs and brushed my hair, neatly tying it into a braid and then into a bun. In the beginning of a semester, my dad served a valuable point for people like me: its best to appear differently then to outright be the weirdo you are inside.

Sliding down the hallway to the kitchen never became old. It may be just my dad and I that live here, but we still get a lot done. The slippery hallways was something that always came naturally, and we've always loved it. "Keep the hallways slide-safe!" We always say to renters, "Don't clean the hallways!" Of course, they end up thinking we're crazy and that they're doing something beneficial, but they end up affecting the quality of their stay instead.  
But, hey, its funny to watch them suffer.

Not having breakfast was another thing we did that everyone doubted us for. We don't go to church or do anything in the morning, so why have breakfast? Plus, my dad may be a really skilled cook, but even he agrees that breakfast shouldn't go on.  
A chest of food was at the foot of the dining table. On the lid was a note in familiar handwriting.

"G' mornin' Emmi! Rise and shine! Your ol' Dad's at work right now so I went ahead and cooked you up a few snacks for the road! Remember the plan: the train leaves at around 6 AM so leave the house around 5:20 AM, pack EVERYTHING!! If you can't carry the majority of it, do the lighter-packer method that Nan does! Hope you have a good second year, lil' star! Call my personal number when you get there!  
\- Joshua Blue (Dad)"

What a sucker. Always showing his love. That's my dad for ya.

Speaking of time, what was it? 'Leave at 5:20' I got that. Glancing at the clock, the machine voiced its annoying beep and showed it was 5:10.  
Thank the Stars.  
That's another thing- saying stars instead of God or whatever. It was just something I grew up saying. Sure, if we messed up, we weren't gonna ridicule you and exile you from our lives. It's a simple mistake that's easy to make and easy to fix. Plus, we're human, we literally are mistakes.  
Happy mistakes, as my Nan calls them.

The run to the train was five minutes. I could leave a few minutes early and catch the train as soon as it came by. If luck is in my favour, then its possible. Last night, I packed everything I needed- clothes, textbooks, elemental shards, organic material, and so on. The school I attend- Astral Academics- is a pretty odd and strict district.

Explaining everything would take centuries since its always changing, going to ancient learning techniques to modern ways. Of course, we don't use electronics but certain students are able to bring their personal devices if their family history shows they're worthy of it.

I've always had a normal family but we can be a bit loony sometimes. All of us love the ocean- food, water, whatever! We adore it! Because of this, my dad normally cooks seafood and takes me, Nan and him outside to eat near the sea. My Nan says its a connection to the people before us, so I just believe her. She might be a psychopath, but if my Dad tells me to respect and learn from her then I will.

Slipping upstairs and downstairs with a book bag filled to the point of breaking was a bit easier than running back and forth down a hallway. I slid the bag on my back (because that's where it goes.It's literally in the name "back bag" why do people wear it differently?)

Picking up the cooler and running out of the house definitely felt weird. Inside, cool air and no salt. Outside, warm air and lots of salt. And sand, don't forget sand. Thankfully, I have experience of running back and forth from my Dad to my Nan to deliver messages so I didn't fall and ruin everything.

What time was it now? '5:20' Oh, thank Star.  
Picking up the cooler again and running towards the train station no doubt looked weird. Picnic at the tracks? More likely than you think.  
I raced to the train, sometimes stopping to catch my breath. Why did it have to take so long? Why so far? I dropped the questions and checked the time again, '5:22' Great. I only ran about 2 blocks in 3 minutes, lovely. I'll definitely be told to join the track team after this. Ignoring the mental irritability, I picked the cooler again and set off to run 5 more blocks. If I was going off what I went already, then 7 minutes might go by. Then I'll make it exactly when it gets there! Perfect! Emmi, you're a genius.

Those next blocks went by slower than I could've hoped.  
I finally reached the train station, standing near the gateway. Only a minute went by before I checked my watch.

'6:05'.  
Shoot.


	2. Chapter 2

"Try to reach for what you want. Try harder to reach for what you need."

That's when I saw it. The train was still near but was already leaving. Nah, not this time. Picking up the cooler for hopefully the last time, I jumped onto the tracks and ran at full speed towards it. The back of the train cart shuddered, the windows opening and a boy peaked out. I tried to raise my voice to get his attention, but I was too winded in running that I couldn't even say anything. Thankfully, he looked at me and yelled, "There's another one!" and went back inside.

Wonderful. I scared him.

Oh, wait.

The back doors slid open, the same boy and two others standing there. He put his hand out under the railing to me, "Grab on!" He turned to the other two and barked a command. They reached over and latched onto him. I grabbed his hand and tried climbing on, but that's when I realized that the other two boys helped pull me up. Soon, I jumped and climbed on board and the boys took the cooler, setting it inside the train. The main kid brought me up and pulled me inside.

I let out a long breath, throwing the book bag on the ground. He laughed, "You're lucky you saw the train in time." I countered him back, "You're lucky you opened the window and saw me." He laughed again and leaned onto one of the seats, "So, what year are you?" The messy blonde asked, "All three of us are second years." One of the boys corrected him, "Actually, Sunshine." The speaker was a dark haired kid who sat in the far back, "You and Hamilton are second years. I'm a third year." The other smiled, "Yeah, sure."

Sunshine looked back at me, "What's your name? I'm Sean." He pointed to the dark haired, "That's Jackson, and-" The last kid finished his sentence, "I'm Kip! Kip Williams, nice to meet you!"

What a cast of characters.

I smiled, messing with the hoodie strings. "My name's Emmira Blue, but I go by Emmi." Sean blankly stared, before I asked, "Did I say something wrong?" He shook his head, "Oh, no. I'm sorry, it's just you don't look like a girl." I returned the blank stare before bringing down the bun, showing the braid. "Well, I am a girl, but I won't hesitate to throw hands if you try to domesticate me."

Kip laughed loudly, "I like this girl already!" Jackson added, "None of us are domestic, Emmi. The only person that would need a stay at home partner is Kip since he can't work for shit." Said person whined, "Jacks!" Then it was the other's turn to laugh- which prompted a faint blush on the dramatic kid.

Sean clapped, bringing everyone's attention back to him. "As much as I enjoy seeing the hours of gay pining you two commit, I think I'd rather not be a third wheel and be included." The darker boy snorted, "Who are you to say we're being gay?" He quickly answered, "Kip flirts with everyone!"

"Ha, not me!"

"I literally have." Kip stated, "I tried for a week and nothing worked so I gave up."

Jackson flushed, "What?"

I giggled, being with these three different people already brought a bit of light to my life. Hopefully, this year will be better than the first.

Sean glanced over at me, "You should sit. We're usually the only ones back here so take your pick."   
Recounting my balance and walking down the aisle, I threw my book bag and the cooler onto the seat next to Kip's. With a friendly but distracted glance, he waved at me and went back to the conversation that he was having with the darker kid. I didn't understand one bit of it, so I won't recount any of it.

After a few hours of out of context rants, read aloud fanfics and acoustic musical covers, the theater kid gave a big smile. Jackson groaned, "What is it now? Next thing you'll tell me is for me to dramatize the Vietnam War!" Kip gasped, "What, no! I just remembered something." I offered to my presence into the conversation, "What did you remember?"

He smiled again, taking out his phone. "A family friend showed me a fun thing." Leaning over, I saw he pulled up bluetooth and clicked on the train's speakers. Sean sighed, "There are so many speakers, Kipster! You're gonna get expelled before even getting there!" Kip laughed, "Who cares at this point? This school's bullshit anyway."

Kip connected to the speaker and went to music, searching up a specific song. "Toto... Africa?" I read, "What kind of song is that?" He smiled, "Don't worry about it. Prepare the bongos, Sunny."

After that first play, it was a horrifyingly long ride.  
Soon, the train stopped and disconnected us from the speaker- which Kip laughed about.

Slinging my book bag and taking the cooler, all four of us got off and headed to the school. All the students were walking to the outside area so we only assumed second years and above were able to be outside. According to Jackson, this was a new given that he personally didn't appreciate much.

When we finally found a spot to sit, I called my dad like he asked. It wasn't long before he answered. His familiar voice chimed in through the phone, "Hey, there Ems! How'd the train ride go? Make any friends?" I smiled, "Hi Dad. The train ride went well and I-" With a quick glance at the three boys around me, I went through my analysis of them.   
They were all dramatic people but in different ways. All different, but the same. They were a perfect fit, and I had some way I could be included.

"Emmira?" My dad asked worried, "Did anything happen?" I shook my head, turning back to the phone. "Just- I did make some friends. I can already tell my second year of Astral Academics will be better."


	3. Chapter 3

"Strive for a difference. Similarities can only do so much."

The first step inside the premise never ceased to amaze me.

Silver tiled floors, the cracks between each placement were filled with a soft gray plus stones dazzled the corners. Each window was a gateway to a wondrous clearing that was being divided by a stainless glass to hide it from the filthy rich.   
Multicolored petals guided our blind eyes towards what we will soon dub as home. It was all like going into what humane folk would describe as Heaven.

Sean poked me back to reality. "Emmi, wake up!" He teased harmlessly, "Come on, we can't miss the second year gathering."   
Right. The gathering.   
The meeting where aristocrats look down on us disgusting creatures that they have to call students. Where the higher class retell old tales in a more modern and dramatic way- a way we all would rather not hear the stories told. The gathering where we must look above and burn our gazes due to the spotlight being so bright that we all think we're passing to our next life. I was only here for the first year and the first gathering was enough to prove to me I wasn't the only blind fool that was only there to listen to the royals boast of their might and victories.

But we had to go. There was no 'yes' or 'no'. There was only 'yes' to go. No choice to leave whenever we felt like it. No reason to get away and take time for ourselves. We were nothing but stepping stones to these people we must accept as peers.

The walk didn't take long. As if they wanted us there. I don't even remember the way there, only that I got there in a very short time.   
The stage was glittered in light, five beings stood in honor of our stars: The Six Stars. "Why are there only five if there are the Six?" One student asked aimlessly. Another one answered, "The Fifth Star has been lost for so long, now we just consider there to be five stars." 

Disgusting. That we have now discarded our people before us all because they aren't here? I don't know a lot about the Stars. All I know is that they were the first stars, in one way or another. They aren't creators of the universe or the first Pluto people. Just normal people, or celestial creatures. Nothing new.

We took our seats with our fellow second years. None of us wanted to be there, but we had to. Again, no choice.

Different skin, different hair, different eyes. Different everything. Multiple voices spoke as one, garbled speech discussed unrelated topics that the demons would extinguish them immediately. Clothing from all planets, states, countries, cultures and brands. There was no specific way to describe our kind. We were people. We are Pluto people.

"Excuse me!" A voice echoed from around the auditorium. Everyone turned to the stage, recoiling at the bright light. The speaker spoke again, "Ah, sorry! Turn the lights down a bit!" They were aware? Were they hacking? Or learning of our ways?

The speaker was a young student, new but higher class? Dressed in a casual white dress and with saturated curls. Multichrome accessories layered her arms, ankles and neck.

They introduced, "Uh, hello everyone! You may not know me, but I'm Elenore Foster. I'll be your representative this year!" They did a quiet cheer before awkwardly continuing. "Just know that I'm not used to being a 'leader', only really a follower. So, bare with me.

"Okay! The next few years we decided to bring some light to our heroes and helpers in the past that were able to have us here today! Heroes like Emora, Misery, Xiutihl- those guys! And girls, and others... but yeah! We'll be learning about them now."

Elenore took a second to glance at the other staff before carrying on. "Also, we'll be trying to do more of our traditions as well as modern things! A good ol' mix of both. We'll also be including more diversity in our community! So, kids of, uh-" They hesitated before finishing, "Kids of Zyeru will be accepted into our community, as well as children of Emora. Y'know- the guy who shot one of our almighty gods!"

A wave of whispers washed over the auditorium. Apparently, even the staff wasn't aware but didn't say anything besides glares and uncertain looks. Elenore smiled nervously. "See? Emora and Zyeru are pretty bad people, but if they were accepted into our history then they're obviously worth including!" Jackson made a quiet remark, "They were accepted, because they made their mark in a bad way. When you make your mark, you're remembered so historians have no choice but to include you in history."

All three of us heard that, which included Kip. The drama kid looked at Elenore and raised his voice. "They weren't accepted!" He summarized, "People just had no choice since they made their mark!" Elenore glanced in our direction, "Uh, you're right! But should that give us no reason to try and free them of their past? If all of you accept each other for being from different families, why can't you accept others who happen to be related to a criminal and hunter?" The whispers continued. No one wanted this to happen, but they were our superior- we had no choice.

Elenore looked away and began fidgeting with their hands. "Well, besides that news. Second years: You all will now be able to do more and go to other places! Experience more in life, learn and explore your world. Of course, you'll still need to stay here, but you can travel to some towns and develop! How exciting is that?" Random kids cheered quietly.

"However, if you travel, you need to have your pass which you will have to get from our volunteers at some point this week. Any time after this weekend will result in a punishment for if you travel out of bounds with no pass. Hopefully, all of you will remember to get your pass and no one will get detention." A couple kids muttered, most likely threats to them.

One of the staff members made a signal to Elenore and they shifted their position.

"Alright everyone!" They announced, "Please exit neatly and orderly out of the auditorium and go outside for break and lunch! If you have any questions, ask any of our staff and they'll be happy to assist you!" Elenore quickly turned the microphone off with a struggling click and raced offstage.

I muttered to Sean, "Poor kid. They don't even know what they just started." He nodded before turning to Kip, "Did you really have to loudly say that? Seriously, dude. If you wanna say something, say it later!" Kip rolled his eyes as he passed us through the crowd, "Chill, Sunshine! My aunt always told me to speak my mind, and never let a moment pass by." Jackson sneered, "Your auntie told ya that? Well," The darker kid pushed him away and walked by, "She must be a fool for raising such an outspoken boy." Kip flushed and looked away, walking behind the two of us.

With a nervous glance, I looked away and tried to walk outside.  
...  
Outside was different.

More colors and faces. More voices than the most insane man could have in his head. It was easy to tell who was in each family- reds were Ezona, oranges were Kipean, Pinks were Parile. What stood out to me the most was the lone kid in green.

I walked up to them and not a second passed before a harsh voice spoke.

"Really? Going up to the loner? Cliche and pathetic."


	4. Chapter 4

"The cover is not the book."

"What do you mean?" I asked, clutching the cardigan closer to my chest. He sneered, "Are you deaf? You must be new. Figures." The speaker was pale with short white hair. He wore a black button up, vest and dark jeans. Golden jewels were pinned to his shirt collar, a delicate green tie protected. I looked back at him. His eyes were a dark brown- almost black- with soft specks of green. "I'm not deaf, but this is my second year. Are you one of the volunteers to help with making our passes?"

The white haired boy raised an eyebrow, "Yes, I am, unfortunately. So, sit down and let's get this over with." With no second of movement, a grey binder was opened and revealed. Not one moment of hesitation passed before he defended the appearance, "Don't ask."

Why couldn't I ask? I wanted to talk, why couldn't I? Was he a witch? "I'm not a witch." He said, "Now, what's your name?"

It came naturally. Tension that had built up from the first random silence was released as I answered the question. "Emmira Blue. I go by Emmi." He nodded and the spoken name appeared in dots and lines on the paper. It was in an ocean blue and it soon translated into a name- Emmira "Emmi" Blue. My eyes opened widely as more lines and dots were drawn and formed into 'second year'. He laughed faintly.

"It's not taboo, Emmi. Stop being so surprised. The less you waste away being detailed and dramatic, the more time I can get you away from me."

Remarkably, none of those words forced an action on me. Was it willing or emotional? Who is he?   
"Anyway- age, gender, pronouns and parent?" He asked and my voice flowed unwillingly from my mouth. "Fifteen, female, she/her and... I don't know my parent." That was true. I knew my dad, but somewhere inside I knew he meant the.. Special parent.

He sighed. "Then what's your favorite color?"  
"Blue." The response was greeted with another sigh.

"You're the daughter of Emilayah, ocean goddess. Queen of terraforming for oceans, seas, glaciers, and so on." He informed, and I hesitantly asked. "How do you know?"

He leaned forward, "You smell like seaweed and your shoes are covered in sand. Plus, you look like a sailor and all of her kids tend to love anything blue or white." He answered dully. Ain't he a smartass?

A lazy smile draped on his face, "Sure, I am. Anyway, that's all you needed to answer." A light blue card manifested into his hand, and he pushed it forward. In a black gentle writing, all information that was answered was listed on the card along with an icon of my appearance.

I took it and placed it into my pocket. "Thanks. What's your name also?" He rolled his eyes, "Classified information. That's all you had to do here, so you can go now. Your schedule will be found on the back of your pass- teacher, class and time listed. Thank you for chatting, now go." With a hesitant glance, I turned and walked back to the three boys.

Another second passed before glancing back.  
The student was gone, vanished in practically a second.

On time, the bell rang and figures walked inside as I struggled to follow along. What was the first period? Taking and flipping the card, it was written 'Serenade Ry, fighting class and 8:30 AM'.

Alright, let's go fight some kids.


	5. Chapter 5

"History has its eyes on you."

Finding the hallway was hard, but the classroom was worse.

For one, the hallway located near the front of the school, which was a very long walking distance. Then, the classroom is basically camouflaged. Why did I have to get a hard to find class? It doesn't matter, anyway. If it's my class for the rest of the year, so be it.

It was only 8:20 AM, but being early never hurt anybody.

The struggle of finding the location did actually pay off.  
Inside, the classroom was wonderful- white tiled floors with grey lockers. Golden lights colored the ceiling, as rose gold accents decorated the dull atmosphere. Marble columns protected a course that was centered in the middle of the area. The course was dressed in a healthy green, but proved to be more challenging as weapons and tools laid idly on the walls. Two figures fought violently but respectfully within the walls.

Suddenly, a voice spoke "Hello, there. This must be your first time here." They had a gentle but rough voice, "What's your name?"

"Emmi." I answered, "Emmira Blue."  
They smiled, "Pleased to meet you, Emmi. I'm Scholar Ry, I'll be your defense teacher for this semester." They held out their hand and I shook it gently, to which Ry smiled sympathetically.

"What's wrong?" They responded with a hint of pity, "Oh, no. It's just that you may have difficulty here."

I blinked, "What do you mean?" My confusion must have broken through, considering Ry gave another sympathetic look.

This is gonna get aggravating.

"SCHOLAR RY!! MATIAS BROKE THE RULES!!" The screaming sourced from the arena. Ry sighed and glanced back, "Emmi, please excuse me." They rushed to the inside of the chamber, but I wasn't going down that quickly.

I followed after, looking over the railing at the top of the hill. There, Scholar Ry was there talking to two students- one boy (who I assume is Matias) and one girl. The girl was sobbing, mascara streaming down her cheeks. She wore dark yet rich clothing, some areas that were a bit revealing. Just from hearing her and seeing her, I knew right there that whoever she was, it would be a difficult time.   
She was loud, but her words were slurred. "He lifted my shirt and tugged my shirt! He harassed me! While training!" The boy was quiet, but he didn't seem like the type to do those things.

Apparently, Ry was blind to it and glared at him. "How dare you do that, Matias! Especially during training and when there was a new student?" He looked down, upset.   
However, the screamer was focused on something else.

She glanced up and we made eye contact.

She smiled. Literally, smiled.

I ducked down behind the barricade and tried crawling away, but something pulled me up. Or someone.

She smiled at me and tilted her head to the side slightly. "Hello there." She was flirting, I could instantly tell. "Sorry about that. Boys are crazy, am I right? Anyway, I'm Ezell Crimson, but friends call me Ez, though people closer call me... something more."

I went into dumb mode. "People closer to you? So family? Wouldn't your family just call you by your normal name?" She laughed.

"Oh, you're one of the dumb ones! No offense. I like the dumb ones." Yep, she's flirted and very interested. Ezell smiled again, "Anyway, what's your name? I hear you're a new student. I don't mind showing you around the new areas for second years."

Something told me to lie, an impulse I never had. It was so strict, firm, and just.. Upset? Still, I followed it. "I'm Samantha! Uh, Samantha Reese." I clutched my badge in my pocket, hiding the truth of what my name really was.

Ezell smiled, "You have such a lovely name, Samantha. Do you have any free classes? Maybe we can hang out at break-"

"Ezell Crimson. Preying after another girl, again? Should've known." It sounded familiar..  
She frowned and turned, "And who are you supposed to-" She gasped and stepped back. "Lin-do-lyn Green!" She spoke each syllable dramatically.

The speaker.. "You!" I exclaimed, stepping in front of Ezell. "You're the one who gave me my badge and disappeared!" He sighed, "I didn't disappear. That's an old man trick."

Ezell smirked, "Still vanishing at odd times? How childish." She turned to me, "Samantha, come on, this kid isn't important-"

Lindolyn laughed, a mix of cackling and shrieking. "Oh my stars- Samantha? Out of all the names and the order I gave you- you chose Samantha? Miss Blue, you're hilarious!" She gasped, "You lied to me? I knew you weren't worth talking to." Green raised an eyebrow, "No you didn't. The only thing that came to you when you heard there was a new student was," He got into a girly voice, "'Oh, a new girl? Finally! All these boys and girls were starting to catch on to my games. I can finally toy with someone else!'"

He returned to his previous voice, "It's all the same, Ezell: A new girl shows up, you toy with her and then I go out of my way to help only to be in the same situation we are in now." Lindolyn turned away, "Why do I even try? They all usually find out from other students after they feel all special and important, only to be told you treat every single girl the same until they aren't worth it anymore."

Ezell didn't say much. She just frowned and glared at him. "She's done this before?" I asked hesitantly, and he nodded. "Yeah." He looked at Ezell and smirked, "Haven't you?"

Immediately, she responded. "I have. Many times." Lindolyn asked again, "And how does that make you feel?"

"Awful." Her response surprised us. "I hate doing it, but I have to keep doing it since it's what I'm known for."

Lindolyn frowned, opening his mouth to respond then closing it firmly. He turned around and walked away. I looked at him as he walked past, waving slightly.

Green glanced back. A silent moment passed before he walked over and patted my shoulder lightly. Strangely, a wave of calm and healing washed over me. He walked away again, muttering loud enough for both of us. "Good luck today. Sorry about all of this."

I might've decided then that it was my goal to warm that guy up.


	6. Chapter 6

"On one hand, keep a good relationship with authorities. On the other hand, hold an explosive connection with the government."

The next few classes rolled by fast- and I mean, fast.

Thankfully, I didn't have to learn much, only where I had to go.

All of the classrooms were set in a circle, clockwise. It might work like a clock, seeing as the rooms change each hour. Plus, I can hear a ticking noise if I strain my ears far enough.

But all that doesn't matter anymore- It's break!

After lingering outside for a bit, I found a spot far away from the crowds of colors. It was just a large willow tree, shadowing over a bunch of flowers and pebbles. Looked sort of murky, but it was away from everyone and that was enough.

Company had other plans, however.

A shadow hung over me a few moments after I sat down. Turning around, I made eye contact with him. "Hey." Sean smiled and gave a gentle wave, "Can I sit with you?" I nodded, watching as the tanned kid stumbled over and sat down a few inches away.

A few awkward seconds ticked by before I spoke up. "Where's Kip and Jackson?" The sunny student slumped and answered, "Kip found another group of friends and Jackson goes to the library for lunch." He seemed.. Upset? I tilted my head, "Is this the first time?" I asked and he shook his head. "Jackson always has lunch alone and Kip makes friends with everyone."

"Is something wrong?" I asked. Sean hesitated before responding, "Ah, I don't know.. It's just-" He scoffed, "It's nothing. How were your classes, meet anyone?"

I shrugged. "They went fine. Nothing really happened-"

My eyes strayed away from looking at him, caught on something else. The red and black, flirtatious and eccentric behavior..

Sean clapped, bringing my attention back to him. "What? What happened?" He asked, his voice heavily tainted with worry.

I shook my head. "It's nothing, it's just.." I looked back at her and he followed my gaze. "Do you know who that is?"

He shuddered, tearing his gaze away from her. Sean took a breath. "Ezell Crimson.. She's horrible, apparently always has been. I don't like thinking about her, done some really bad stuff to everyone, no matter what gender." Sean took another breath, "But if you met her, then you probably met.."

The name took a second to say. "Uh, Lindolyn? Lindolyn Green?" Sean nodded. "Yeah. They've done some mean things just to get Ezell's reputation in the negatives." He looked back at her.

Ezell was surrounded by other female students, all seamlessly enchanted by her. Faint bursts of compliments, laughter, and talk of get together's occasionally were let out. It was sick.

"Didn't seem like those attempts worked." He nodded, changing to a solemn voice. "Yeah. It backfired. People hang around her and people... don't around them."

Sean coughed, bringing a smile to his face. "What do you have for the rest of the day?" I checked the card. "Scholar Gray?" He gleamed. "Oh! I had him earlier! He teaches astronomy!" He added quietly, "And astrology too, apparently."

I smiled. "Cool! Is he nice?" Sean nodded, "Yep! He spent the beginning of class getting to know us, as a group and individually. It really seems like he cares, though I can't help but feel like he's... looking for something or someone."

"What do you mean?" I asked. He shrugged, "When I talked to him, it looked like he was.. Scanning me. When he asked me questions, it felt like some of them were.. Pointed for something." Sean shook his head, "I don't know. Hopefully we won't have any trouble."

The next few minutes had random conversation but mainly actually eating. Sean supposedly had a peanut allergy so I did my best to keep the snacks I ate peanut free. A loud tick was sent.

Right. The clock.

I turned to put the food away, but found the sunshine boy on the other side. Together, the ticking seemed far away and we finished soon enough.

Sean stood up, holding out his hand to me. I took it and pulled me up, picking up my other bags. He smiled- did the sun just shine brighter? "I'll see you later, Ems!" He turned and rushed inside, I followed behind.

Now, where was Scholar Gray's class?


	7. Chapter 7

"This time it's anything goes, I guess I'm just a selfish ghost."

I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

The classroom was circular, the desks all facing the front center. A long table stood in front of the chalkboard. I found my seat near the front and glanced around.   
Not many people were there, not even the teacher seemed like he was present either. None of the students present seemed that interested.

I guess we have something in common

After the other students showed up, the tick signifying the beginning of class played. And the door burst open.

A loud voice sang out. "Hello, class! How nice of you to join me this evening!" The speaker waltzed to the front table, just a few desks away.

He smiled and faced us. "I'm Scholar Gray, your astronomy AND astrology teacher! Say, how is everyone today? I know we got some new kiddos in here!" The class population silenced and all together leaned away from his gaze.

I wasn't so lucky. I had the unfortunate pleasure of catching his eye.  
That look of analyzing for something..

He walked over to my desk and beamed. "I don't think I've seen you around, my dear larimar. What's your name?" Again, his eyes danced around my figure.. Then a gleam.

I opened my mouth, "Emmi." He smiled, "Wonderful name! I've heard about you from another student of mine." Before I could question him, he turned and walked off. I watched as the same hunting look caught its prey and searched each student. None of them had the gleam I got..

He soon found his place in the front of the classroom. Gray spoke again. "It was lovely meeting you all! However, I like to get to know my students better without... any sort of outside pressure. So, we'll be going outside and I'll be calling each of you inside to have a one-on-one talk!" The rest of class whispered around as we were carried back into the heat.

Each student was called in slowly, the supposedly confrontations lasting for about 5 minutes. Though, something about the time spent was stretched out farther. Like time had stopped but everything else was carrying on. 

My name was called soon enough. "Emmi!" Gray's voice called and I walked inside. I was aware of the whispers and looks as I went inside, I didn't pay much attention to it.

Gray stood at his desk, his beige coat hung loosely beside his sides. He smiled and the same gleam was shown. "You have an eye for things, don't you? We've been looking for someone like you for a few years now."

I blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?" He sighed, the smile showed a sign of sympathy. "My sisters have had better luck in the past. I guess hard work does pay off." He looked back at me, holding eye contact.

I looked away, slowly walking through the rows of desks away from him. No matter how far I got, his voice sounded like I was still standing near him. "You know Sean, don't you? Charming boy, I should say. It's unfortunate he has so much power but has no perception of it." Gray let out another sigh, looking back at me. "He loves you a lot, you know? You don't know each other for long, but still. The way he talked about you.." He paused and laughed. "I shouldn't say anything."

"What are you saying? I don't understand." Taking another look at him, he seemed so much less human. Gray wasn't even an eye color here! He seemed to show elements of other cultures, languages, people.. 

Gray smiled. "It's difficult to explain, bluebird. You'll need to ask a friend of mine if they can tell you. I may be older than them, but they know so much. They're better than this," He gestured to himself and me, "human thing."

Something seemed to clear up on his face. It looked like two scars on his cheeks going down to under his jaw. "Though I can do one thing for you."

The scars cleared up. The otherworldly fragments came into view.. Wait, was he-

"Misery?" He questioned aloud, somehow capturing my voice and replicating it. He bowed, "Yes, yes, hello. Star of culture, time, and law at your service."

I blinked and glanced around, a faint laugh rising up. "But, you're a star. How are you here? What are you even doing here?" He sighed, fixing his gloves. "Like I said, we've been looking for someone like you for a while. We're in some desperate times, the gods and humans. We need a hero or more."

"Why me?" I pressed, stumbling backwards. "I'm not anything! I just pay more attention than other people! How is that important?" I raised my hands, looking at the lines in the palms. "Only today I've been told my mom, who's never played a part in my life, is some goddess. I've been targeted by both a popular person and outcast. The only good thing is that I have a dad who cares and three friends who actually contribute! Why is this even important, and what do I even do?"

Misery frowned, the gleam long gone. A few silent beats carried before he spoke again. "Someone... is pulling the strings on our soon to be death. This.. person has followers and friends that help him hurt us. This.."

He looked me dead in the eye, the feeling of time truly slowing down dug deep into my patience. "We're in danger of all of us shattering and being tossed away like nothing. I don't want this. None of us do. We need people to help us fight back."

"And what do I do?"  
"You're a hero." He answered.


	8. Chapter 8

"How are they supposed to feel empathy for this person if they have no one to visualize?"

Remembering our conversation was difficult. Every time I tried to recall what he said, my head hurt and a ringing noise was heard. He must've done something, I wouldn't be surprised.

I stumbled to the new flat I would be calling home for the next few months. We supposedly get a roommate to live with, so I'm just praying I get someone nice.

The bags I carried all day became unbearable. The second I walked into the room, I dropped the bags to the ground and slumped beside the door.   
Again, company had other plans.

"Need any help?" The voice was familiar. I looked up and he repeated, "Do you need any help?" He spoke each word simply, over exaggerating each part. I nodded soon enough, and he took two of the bags, carrying it to another room towards the right.

I found my place at the living room area in the flat. "So, are you my roommate?" Green nodded, "Yeah. I would be in the male dormitories if I had my way, but the academy's started noticing my powers so I couldn't."

"But you could still use your powers. What's stopping you?" He snapped back, "Possible persecution, an even worse reputation than I have now- I can go on about the different possibilities if you really want to be this way." I blinked and shook my head, which he thankfully found as an acceptable answer.

My eyes caught something. The pale boy had faint patterns and colors on his face. It seemed almost.. Childish. "Hey, are you wearing makeup?" The question didn't bother him like I thought. He nodded, "Yep, the drug stores on campus thankfully have good stock." I looked around, finding the bedroom that was supposedly mine and looked for any other rooms. The only area I really saw was the kitchen, living area, and a bathroom where Lindolyn currently was. 

"Uh, do you know-" "Down the hall, right by your room." He answered quickly, looking at the mirror with a slight wince before walking out. I nodded and another question popped up.

I walked back into the living area. The other stood at the blinds, playing with the adjustment tool. Hesitantly, I asked. "Do you know Scholar Gray?" I looked at the other just in time to notice a slight flinch. "What about him?" He asked, continuing. "Well, I had his class and had a one-on-one with him. He turned out to be.. a star. He kept telling me I'm a hero."

Lindolyn took a deep breath. "Gray.. is, remarkably, a close friend of mine. As much as he's all powerful, godlike, and a leader, he's always said I'm better by knowing more and knowing better." He winced again at the last word, looking away.

I took a few slow steps towards him before he talked again. "This tragedy that we're about to face isn't all fun and games. People could die if we're not careful." The worry was overwhelming at this point. I blurted out, "If I'm a hero- Am I gonna die?"

He turned to face me and yelled back, "You're not gonna die!" He paused, returning to his regular tone. "No one will die. You'll be safe. You're alive right now, that's all that matters."

As much as his outburst hurt, I couldn't help but feel the smallest amount of happiness that maybe he did care. "Lindolyn, I-" He cut me off, "Lin."

"Uh, what?"

"Lin. Just call me Lin. It's easier." He responded.  
I nodded again, "Uh, yeah." I found my words again. "What's.. What's gonna happen?"

Lin paused before going on. "Well, it's to be expected that in a few weeks or less, we'll need to send you and other heroes." I blinked, "Who are the other heroes?"

He looked back at me, "You should know them, Emmi. You met them today." I thought for a second. I only had three friends. Oh.

"No! I don't want Sean, Kip, or Jackson to die!" Lin frowned, "None of you will die. I'll make sure." I stumbled on my words, "Wait, are you one of the heroes too?"

He shrugged and looked out of the blinds. "In my view, no, but if thinking of my participation as that works for you, then sure." I asked, "Then why are you going?" He held up his wrist, a silver watch laid there. He played with the time, "To help and to make sure no one gets hurt." That makes sense, more or less.

A loud tick sounded and Lin sighed. "Go to the train and get dinner. Don't worry about me." He said, walking back to the bathroom. I quickly put together a small messenger bag, putting materials that may or may not have a use in the future. I walked out to the door, pausing before looking back to Lin, who was fumbling with his vest.

"Hey, uh, Lin?" The other hummed in response.  
I hesitated. Was it fine for me to say this? I wasn't him, I had no idea how he'd react. I took a chance anyway.

He asked, "What is it?"

I responded, sincerely, "Lin... Thank you."

I'm not lying or joking when I swear before I turned and left for the train, I caught a glimpse of the kid smiling.


	9. Chapter 9

"Maybe someday, I'll find a way to just cause some commotion. That could be me."

This time, unlike this morning, I was not late to the train. I see that as development on my part. I also didn't have to look long for a place to sit.

Dramatic yelling was near the back of the train. I had a feeling it was our resident thespian, so I followed it. I was right, but also wrong.

When I reached the back, the situation surprised me. Kip was arguing with someone, but that someone was..

"Ezell?" I questioned, sitting beside Sean. He gave a silent wave and I returned it. Ezell frowned and faced me, "Oh, look who it is! 'Samantha'!" She mocked the name with the same dramatic ecstasy. "As much as I would love to hear all about-" She changed to a girly voice, if she could reach that high. "How beautiful and glorious I am." She returned to her voice and pointed at Kip. "However, this so-called man threatened my personnel! I will not let that stand!"

Jackson leaned over from his spot, gesturing the feminine kid over. A few words were exchanged before Kip smiled, facing Ezell again. He put his hands on his hips, "You talk a lot, Crimson. I don't think you're aware of how you sound right now."   
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding? I sound perfect-!"

"Nope. Allow me." He raised his hand, gesturing it toward her.. Head? Strangely, the red dressed girl stumbled backwards, gripping her head tightly.   
"Why is it ringing?" She pressed, but she fainted soon after, falling backwards. Though that resulted in her hitting her head roughly on the railing.

Sean stood up, facing Kip and Jackson. "What did you do?" He pressed, clearly upset. Kip opened his mouth before Jackson answered. "She passed out from the shock." His voice was frighteningly calm, like he wasn't bothered at all.

The bright colored boy nodded. "Yeah! She'll be fine!" The taller kid crossed his arms and frowned, "She better be or we'll be kicked out faster than we got here." Sean walked past and to Ezell's fallen figure. He lifted her up and carried her to one of the seats, laying her down. Jackson shrugged, "Let's be honest, she deserved it." Sean nodded, "Yeah but at least I didn't knock her out!"

I looked at Kip, "What happened?" He smiled, his eyes glossing like he was recalling something pleasant. "I overheard some kids saying some not so good things and thought I'd teach them to not do that." The darker kid intervened, "Kip manipulated their music that they were listening to and made it bass boosted." He explained.

"How?" Kip smiled, "I'm a Kipean kid. I can manipulate sound and music." He crossed his arms, "That's how it was so easy to connect to bluetooth!"

Jackson spoke again, "You needed your cousin to help you beforehand. I watched you do that."  
He shuddered and looked at him. "You watch me? That's invasive!" The darker kid frowned, leaning back in his seat. "Well yes but actually no." A faint blush was on his face, "Stop being dramatic." I caught him mutter, "Please don't stop."

He's gay. Very gay.

Sean sat beside me again. "Okay, she's fine. Hopefully she won't be too upset about missing dinner." I raised my hand slowly, "Wait, what about getting her to her dorm?" He paused and frowned, "That's a problem."

I quickly remembered. "My roommate knows her. Maybe they can tell us where her dorm is and we can drop her off!" Not wasting a second, the three asked, "Who's your roommate?"

Hesitantly, I answered. "Lindolyn Green..?" The two bright students winced, but Jackson looked hopeful. He pitched in quietly, "I know them. They're not the nicest but they're helpful."

The train stopped with a loud tick. We stood up, awkwardly avoiding Ezell's body, walking inside the dining hall.

The dining hall was very hotel-ish. Like the academy, it was mainly white and gold, with occasional accents. Floral embroidery blanketed the windows and tables. The choices were laid out like a buffet, though the dessert aisle was closed off. Upon further examination, a clock was at the front, probably showing when it would open.

Again, everything was motivated by a clock. A tick would show when you could get seconds or thirds. A tick for when you could get dessert. A tick for when stocks were filled again. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long.

I probably annoyed the workers. See, any chance I get to talk about my dad's cooking and baking, I take that chance. Every time I got something, I took a quick moment to talk about him. Got one of the salads? 'My dad always puts a variety of seasoning on our salads. You should try it!' Decided to get some cheesecake? 'My dad makes great cheesecakes! For mine, he puts a lot of whipped cream!'

Only once, a worker snapped and said "Just move on, girl!" It hurt but at least they got their point across.

Thankfully, we didn't have to stay long. Half way through waiting, it got annoying to wait for a tick to be able to stand up again. The horrors reminded me of public school.

The train ride to the dorms, however.

We had a witness and a robbery.

We didn't really care.

When getting back to my dorm, Lin wasn't anywhere to be found. "Well, they are a bit mysterious." I spoke aloud, mainly to myself. I stumbled to the bedroom that I have to myself. Keeping a record of five minutes, I got ready in that time.

At least the beds were comfortable.


	10. Chapter 10

“What if I did something new? Something unexpected, unprotected. Something’s always within reach, just ignore the things that she preaches.”

Screams. Why was there screaming? What happened? I wanted so badly to help them, find out what’s happened- anything. But it’s black, I can’t see anything and I can’t move.   
I could see my friends, people that I care about, just.. screaming. There was no reason that they were upset, and it hurt more that I had no idea what had happened.

Did I do something wrong and this is foreshadowing it? I hated this idea. Even though I refused it, something urged me to believe it. “I don’t want to.” I muttered aloud, some sixth sense instantly made me know that I shouldn’t have done that.

The figures changed, morphing into something else. Unfamiliar features switched to something more familiar. I noticed quickly what was happening. I choked back a sob, “Please, anything but Dad. Not him, he means more than anything or anyone to me.” 

A voice in the back of my head hissed back, “Even better, Diamond.” 

I recognized his features perfectly. Everything from his hazel eyes to the signature poorly tied shoes. It was all there, though his forgiving smile was absent. This minor change was enough to make me break more.

Strangely, the noise stopped, washed over by something else familiar. Black walls and floors became sandy floors and the walls were gone, miles of ocean stretched around instead. Even a few bugs and fish swam by, which was comforting. 

A figure shimmered by- a pale woman in rags, seashells, and beads. I couldn’t see her face, seeing as large amounts of hair floated around her. Even despite the logic that you wouldn’t be able to hear nor talk like that, I could hear her just fine. 

Her voice came off as gentle, “Apologies, you’re safe now.” I’ve never met or seen anyone like her before, yet something inside of me knew her.   
A groan was played, “This is the only awful part of this.” She drew back the hair around her face, her blue eyes popped out immediately. 

She smiled, “You can talk, you know.” I found my voice, “Who are you?” I asked and she responded gently, “You may know me- ever heard of Emilayah?”

I did. Emilayah was the ocean goddess, one of the three elementals. But, why was she here? “You grew up without a mother, that’s my fault. It’s my bad that I was never there.” As soon as those words were spoken, a repressed emotion I kept hidden for so long came up.

“What do you mean?” I screamed, “I lived alone with only the support of Dad and Nan, no friends and no mom, do you understand how hard that is? Growing up believing that you’re normal when you’re obviously not? I’ve grown so used to getting comments about family and saying ‘no’, now you expect me to accept you being my mom like that?” So much anger had been pushed down, somehow this easy reveal hurt to know. “Hell no! I’m not accepting you like that!”

Emilayah just existed there, silently. My voice brushed to a quiet tone, “The most you could’ve done was been there for my birthday or even say ‘hello, I’m your mom.’”   
She shared the same quiet voice, “I’m sorry, Emmira. I can’t make you accept me or be there as a mother, but the most I can do is let you know that I’m here.” Her figure started to fade, “I have to go now. Be safe, I’m here for you.” 

I added quietly when she disappeared. “Not anything new.” 

4:00 AM.


	11. Chapter 11

“I never dreamed that I could do this. Never felt like I was worth a damn, but I’m slowly getting through this. I mean- what! I mean, look at where I am!”

I didn’t realize how fast time had gone by after I woke up. There wasn’t a clock in the bedroom and all of our devices were in the closet, since there were a lot of outlets there. Minutes passed by in silence before a knock was at the door, a monotone voice speaking. “Get up.” Lin said, muffled behind the wood.

A quick sense of nostalgia swept through as I remembered the summer days. I’d get up early just to see the sunrise in the morning, Dad making breakfast while we sat in the back patio. Nan would wake up later, she would comment about something reminding her of her past life, and I’d ask to hear the story. Even if it took hours to listen to a single story, it was wonderful. But there’s no sunrise or storytelling here, only dreams of freedom and a closed off roommate.

Since it wasn’t the first day anymore, I could dress how I wanted. Quickly, I took one of the lace dresses I had. Slipping on black shoes and the grey cardigan, I stumbled into the living room. The pale student was at the counter, clearly struggling to cook. As much as their difficulty was obvious, something else stood out.

On their arms, small strikes were on their skin. Each scar looked either like it was scratched with fingernails or with a knife. It was concerning but I didn’t say anything. 

“What are you making?” I asked, they frowned to themselves. A dark green phone was on the counter beside the stove. Golden floral accents made the device appear nicer, a key hung as an accessory.. I think. “I’m making eggs-” 

“You don’t cook eggs like that-” 

They stuttered. “I know that!” They paused, “It’s a new recipe.”

I frowned. “My Dad is literally a chef and we spent half of our time together cooking. That,” I pointed to the eggs, which were partly burned. “That isn’t a recipe- that’s failure.”

Lin flinched at the word. Their teeth clenched and they pushed themselves away. They snapped, “Fine! Do it then!” The pale student stood away from the counter, with a firm frown on their face. If I can be honest, they looked like they were gonna break down. 

I put on a soft smile. “Hey, it’s okay. I can teach you.” They scoffed, “I don’t need any help, Blues. I was doing fine.” I sighed, leaning onto the counter. “The eggs were burning, Lin.” 

Their voice got louder. “Sure, they were! That’s flavor!” I raised my voice in return, “Flavor is the taste of something and failure is something not reaching a desired objective. They sound similar yet different.”

“Don’t use definitions against me!” Lin pressed, though their voice slurred into a slight plea. I quickly lowered my voice and smiled, “Lin, it’s fine. It’s a part of learning. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, L.” They frowned, their eyes darting from my view to the counter. A few quiet moments were wasted until they spoke quietly, “Fine.”

With our cooking method, it was made to be cooked in a rush. Though with our current progress, this definitely won’t be finished in five minutes. A quick run to the grocery and twenty minutes of pain, then we actually could eat.

Lin hesitated, I nodded to them and they took a bite. Y’know how I mentioned their hair was fully white? I swear, I could notice some brunette streaks starting from their hairline. Their eyes lit up green before it faded. They looked away, “It’s.. alright.” I smiled, “You can say it’s good, you know.” Lin paused and shuddered, adding quietly. “It’s fine.”  
That was the best I could get from them.

They coughed, “Uh, in the next hour we have to be on campus. Let’s go ahead and get ready.” The student stood up and walked to their bedroom. I caught a faint start of a blush on their face before shutting the door. I’m hoping it’s from something else or we’ll have a problem.

I nodded and retreated to my room. I was already dressed but I could save my hair from the horrors of a bad hair day. Brushing the rat nest was a chore itself, though styling it made me lose a cell of patience. The simplest thing I could’ve done was a ponytail though that’s boring. I spent a few minutes braiding strands of hair and tying it. Quickly, I brushed my teeth, got my messenger bag and rushed into the living room again.

Lin blinked. They were in a similar outfit though this time it was a black button up with white and gold floral accents, a green tie and vest, plus black ripped jeans. I laughed, “You always find some way to be extra.” They shrugged, “It’s fashion.” 

We turned and walked down the hallways, in the direction of the train station. I kept taking out a small silver watch, checking the time. They frowned, “We’re early, not in any rush.” Lin said, “Do you have somewhere to be?” 

I flushed, “Oh! Oh, no! Just..” I stuffed the watch into my pocket, “Just a habit.” Lin sighed, “Fair enough.” 

We made it to the train station. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find Jackson or Sean or even Kip (Even to Lin’s surprise). Green offered for me to sit with them near the front and I accepted.

In common with the back, the front of the train didn’t have a lot of passengers. “I thought the train left at one time.” Lin shook their head, “It leaves at multiple times. Twice for early birds, three times for in between, and only once for the late ones.” They gave a glance to me and I flushed. “I sleep in!” They rolled their eyes, “Sure, yet you didn’t sleep in this morning?”

I hesitated before responding. “I had a weird dream.” Lindolyn raised an eyebrow and I quickly added, “I’d rather not talk about it.” They nodded, “That’s fine. Dreams be like that sometimes.”

We went back to awkward silence. A few students walked past us and snickered, “Hey, look, the snake finally captured someone.” I didn’t understand but noting Lin’s change from calm to tense was enough to know that that wasn’t even the worst of things that people have said.

Soon enough, we reached the academy. Lin immediately stood up, turning back and grabbing my wrist, dragging me along with them. I bit back my tears, the grip was surprisingly strong and somehow made me think- They were upset, though they were trying to get away from it first. When we got to the school’s hallways, lockers stood at the walls in silence. 

Lin loosened their grip and sighed, “Sorry, Emmi.” I brought back my hand, rubbing my wrist. “It’s nothing, what’s wrong? Wanna talk about it?” They shook their head, “It’s fine. I’m used to commentary like that.”

I frowned, keeping back a response. I wanted so badly to know what’s happened before, even if it risks my sanity. They turned and began to walk away. Standing alone in the hallway was uncomfortable to me. I wanted to say something, do something, but I knew they’d shut me up if I did. A voice in my head warned, “That kind of treatment isn’t right. Why see them as a friend?” That word made me call out.

“Are we friends?”

They stopped, not turning around. “What?”

I repeated. “Are we friends, Lindolyn Green?”

Lin slowly turned around, their eyes shining a bright green. They took a few silent moments before turning back around.

“Maybe we are.” They answered.


	12. Chapter 12

“And we had so much fun together, we thought we’d be friends forever.”

The walk around the classrooms brought my memory back up to date. Though what I noticed more was the black and white umbrella from afar. I picked up my pace and walked up to him with a smile. “Hey Jackson!”

He jumped, stumbling backwards. I could hear a faint whimper from under his breath. I laughed awkwardly, “Sorry. I should’ve said something.”  
Jackson sighed, “It’s fine.” He seemed to look even more concerned. “Are you alright?” I blinked, “What do you mean?” He fumbled over his words. “Uh, well- never mind. It’s confusing.” He shook his head and reclaimed his balance, “What class are you going to?”

I checked the card before answering. “Celeste Crete.” His eyes lit up for a split second. “I have her too!” I smiled. “At least we won’t be alone.” Jackson paused, slowly glancing behind him. “Maybe.”

We found the classroom and instantly became aware of the amount of computers that were there. Similar to Scholar Gray’s- uh, Misery’s- classroom, it had a presentation area near the front. The table was instead organized with different sheets of paper and supplies in labeled cups. As much as none of this bothered me, the lights being brighter and a light source in almost every direction seemed to really bother Jackson. 

On the whiteboard, ‘Pick a seat’ was written in neat handwriting. From this, both of us chose seats next to each other. Since we knew each other and everyone else was an unknown NPC we don’t know if we’ll have to battle one day. 

The clock ticked soon after, the noise dying down. A tall woman walked into the classroom with a stern look on her face. She walked to the front of the room and instantly slammed her hand onto the table, most of the students flinching but Jackson seemed to be even more than terrified. The woman spoke loud and clear, “Listen here: I will be your teacher for technology while you are in this year. You will learn how to code, type, and use technology more responsibly. If you fail to succeed even once in my class, then you should go ahead and prepare yourself to visit the office.” 

To say that her speech was intimidating was an understatement.

Scholar Crete took one of the markers and pointed to the writing. “As you can see, I’ve already done a favor for you by letting you pick your seat. In the past years of my teaching, I’ve assigned my students their places. You should be grateful.” She erased the writing and wrote her name. “I am Scholar Crete. I teach with an iron fist and a heart of gold, but due to previous declarations, I will not be teaching you how I normally would.” 

I heard a few whispers in the back. One kid mumbled, “A heart of gold? More like a heart of coal.” The other kids snickered at the words, catching the attention of Crete. She frowned, “What are you laughing about? If you want to learn in this class through comedy, then you should get accustomed to being sent out to the office.” This more or less made the students quiet.

She began to pass out sheets of paper. Each sheet had an introduction template and a survey. Crete spoke as she walked around the room, “Now, I want everyone to complete this list and skill survey. By everyone,” She paused and let a glare drift around the room, “I mean everyone.”

She placed the sheet neatly on my desk, taking a moment to make it perfectly centered and to place the pencil right beside it. I knew that if I did my own thing, I’d get kicked for just being me. Though, being me is the best thing I can do. 

I quietly took a blue pen from my pocket and started doodling on the page. Jackson, who was looking absolutely traumatized a few moments ago, seemed to follow along but only with the pen and not doodling. There were a few kids that seemed like the type to call us out, but everyone seemed to be afraid and hate this teacher. They all just apparently acknowledged what we were doing and carried on. 

It was only for a minute or two when a ringing went off. “Okay.” Crete announced, “Please pass your sheets to the front row.” I glanced at Jackson, who seemed to have also finished. I looked down at my paper- Nothing besides drawing in blue ink. Every part of me was scared that I was going to spend my second day in detention, but something inside of me seemed to just be calm with this situation. I tried to find that serenity until I heard a pencil fall. 

Right. I didn’t use it. For a minute, it was slowly rolling across the desk and now it fell on the floor. Everyone heard it, except Scholar Crete somehow. 

I looked down at the pencil. It seemed to have a bad lead, as the pencil was broken. Quickly, I grabbed it and walked to the front of the classroom. 

Beside the table was a closet open with sharpeners and extra supplies. I took one of the sharpeners and started sharpening the pencil. The soft noise calmed me down only for a while, as it was interrupted by Crete’s yelling. 

“Excuse me!” Scholar Crete demanded, “What do you think you’re doing?” I responded normally, “Sharpening my pencil.” She frowned, “Your pencil? If I remember correctly, I passed out those pencils! As well as you didn’t ask to sharpen it!” She walked forward, “What is your name?” I carried on casually, “Emmi.” 

“Emmi, this behavior is horrid! Say, is this your paper?” She took the blue colored sheet and raised it towards me. I nodded, “Yeah, it is.” Crete looked at it for a moment. “It is, you say? Then why is it covered in blue ink? I have a strict policy about pens, and drawings, another thing I reject in this class!” Crete put the paper down on the table. “Your paper is your responsibility! I don’t look after you!”

I blinked, going dumb. “If it’s my responsibility, then why are you telling me how to treat something that’s my job to treat it how I want?” She seemed to go pale, so I kept talking. “The paper is my paper. The pencil is my pencil. The pen is my pen. The drawings are my drawings. It may not have my name on it, seeing as it’s not my property, but it’s still my responsibility and my decision on how to use it.”

Scholar Crete’s expression changed to anger in just a second. Oops. She yelled, “Emmi, talking back to a teacher is disrespectful! You should be in the office by now!” I responded at normal volume, “Yelling at a child can be seen as abuse, if you think about it. Is that why you’re told to teach differently?” She got louder and stepped forward, “That is enough! You should be in the train, on your way home by now! You are being disrespectful and inappropriate! Now, get-” She didn’t finish her sentence, she never did. 

Her expression switched to absolute dread. Crete stumbled back, her voice turning horrified. “Leave me alone! How are you here?” She winced, glaring at me. She shrieked, “How are you not running away?” The scholar ran to her desk, pulling everything out underneath and hiding. Everyone seemed confused, only a few concerned looks giving way. Jackson seemed the most calm. 

He stood up, dragging our bags to where I was. I took mine before the resolute ticking sounded. Jackson smiled slightly, “See you later?” We walked out the classroom, Crete’s pleads being heard from afar. I took a second to glance back at her, though she quickly screamed “Go save yourself!” I turned back to him. He winced, “She’ll be fine. Kinda deserved it.” I exchanged the smile, “Yeah, I’ll see you later. Be safe.”

Jackson sighed, giving a quiet “I hope so.” Before walking away.


	13. Chapter 13

“There will come a soldier, who carries a mighty sword. He will tear your city down, O lei O lai O Lord.”

There weren’t many people around in the hallway, surprisingly seeing as it was almost in the afternoon. Signs above the doors determined what class and which teacher it was. I turned up the card- Xia, music- seemed easy, even though it was horrible trying to find it. Obviously, if you keep your eyes on something else and not where you’re going, you’re probably going to run into somebody. 

Which is what happened.

“I’m so sorry!” I hit the floor suddenly, a bunch of papers and files falling beside me. “I wasn’t looking where I was going, that was rude.” I looked at the speaker, finding the same figure from the meeting scrambling to pick up the fallen documents. I picked up the ones around me, slightly reading what each one was labeled. “‘Pluto’s History’? Why do you have that?” Elenore quickly took the folder away and held it with the rest. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not really Plutoean. So, I don’t really know anything about the Stars, mythos, culture.. It’s all weird to me.” 

I gave them the rest of the files, “If you don’t live here, where are you from?” They awkwardly smiled, “I’m a Jupita! Which is ironic considering I suck at public speaking.” I frowned slightly, “Jupita? Do you mean Jupiter? That’s the news planet, right?” They nodded, “Yep! The president’s family got word that there was supposed to be a new spokesperson here, which is where my family comes in. It was supposed to be my brother, but he’s still a toddler and you can’t really learn anything from a baby, can you?” They shrugged.

Elenore placed all the folders back in the box, going back through them to organize it. They paused, smiling for a moment and looked at me. “Wait, you’re Plutoean! Maybe you can help me!” They added a bit quieter, “That is.. If you want to.”

I thought for a moment. Aren’t I supposed to be in class by now? It wouldn’t be the end of the world if I miss a music class. I smiled, “Sure! Though, what about my classes?” They stood up, watching as I got back my balance, “I can send a message to them to know where you are. I’m sure they won’t mind. Now, come on!” 

They grabbed my hand the second I put my bag back on my shoulder. For someone so shy and reserved, they were pretty strong. We ran through the halls, thankfully no one was in those said halls, to an office with ‘Elenore K. Foster’ sculpted into the door. Elenore opened it with a few struggling moments and got inside. “Take a seat! Make yourself at home!” They said, putting the box down beside a few other boxes that had folders in them. 

The walls were the normal white brick but flowers and vines almost sealed it away. Paintings of rose full vases were hung up along with fairy lights that made the room seem calming. There were drawings and portraits of other places, different from Pluto’s appearance. Elenore spoke from the rummaging of boxes, “Each of those paintings were gifts to my parents while they explored. They traveled everywhere! They were famous! I just wish I could’ve gone with them.” I looked in their direction, “Why couldn’t you go?” They answered a bit sadly, “I don’t know. When they went exploring the world and uncovering secrets, I was left at home having to take care of myself. Being alone was fun for a while, but when it was almost every day at every hour.. It wasn’t right.” They brought back a few files and sat at a desk, which was probably theirs since their name was written on the side. I looked at the other two chairs that faced toward them, sitting down in one of them.

Elenore flipped through the papers. “Thanks for deciding to be here, uh, what’s your name? Sorry for not asking sooner.” They laughed faintly and I shook my head, “It’s okay! I’m Emmi.” They smiled and continued, “Emmi! Emmi, Emmi, Emmi- There’s another name to get used to. Anyway, since I’m pretty much new here, I don’t really know anything about Pluto. Y’know, since it was sealed away from the rest of the system for a while. The main thing that’s confusing me is the language.” They flipped to one of the folders, bringing a few of the pages out. Each of the sheets had the same lines and dots from the card. Elenore laughed, “Like, what is this? I know a lot of languages since I’ve been alone most of my life, but Plutoean language is just crazy! How do you even read this?” They turned the page to me. 

I scanned through it. Beside the lines and dots, small drawings were beside it, illustrating different scenes. I pointed at the first drawing and the text beside it. “This is one of Adair’s first scrolls. The first drawing shows the making of the First Star, Hope. Adair always put his philosophies in weird rhymes and riddles. It says, ‘Mother and Daughter explored together, coming cross the elder man’s deprecating loss. They founded the first light in the cloud, joining together as one woman forever.’” 

Elenore beamed, “So you can read it! What else does it say?” I looked at the rest of the scroll, reading it to myself before telling it to them. “The rest of it is just some nonsense about a Corridor that keeps away evil and fault, that if you open the doors, you’ll release thousands of evil spirits and break the Barrier that separates our world from others. People always said Adair was a bit crazy, but wow.”  
They gasped, “That’s amazing! You need to teach me how to read the Stars. I can’t believe that all of that meant evil ghosts and the first Star!” Not gonna lie, it was nice seeing them be so happy. Elenore brought another sheet and faced it to me, “I kind of have an idea of what this is, since it combines the Venu and Nepti language, but since it has Stars, I have no idea.” 

I looked at the sheet and blinked, “Elenore, sorry, but I can’t read all of this. The most I get is ‘Sixth Star’, ‘evil’ and ‘end of the Stars’ which is pretty degrading.” I looked back up at Elenore, “You said you could read some of it too, what does it say?” They hummed, turning the paper back to them. “With what you read, it says ‘Sixth Star of Gaendi is foretold to release evil, destroying our Barrier and Corridors, possible end of the Stars is upon our children.’” They winced, “Wow, that really is bad.” They looked at me, “Who’s the Sixth Star?”   
I frowned, “Not many people know him, much less his name. All we know is that he’s the Star of trickery and illegal magic, so he’s probably a challenge.” Elenore beamed, “A challenge? That would be cool!” They leaned back into their chair and added quietly, “It wouldn’t be cool, actually.” 

I flipped through the rest of the files. “All of these just talk about the Gods and Pluto’s making. Not really useful right now.” I paused, “Wait, do you know if any of the files have anything about Heroes or more about this ‘End of the Stars’?” Elenore shrugged, “Maybe! I know one of the boxes has a file labeled in Uranua that translates to ‘Our Starred Heroes’. Maybe it’s there?” I nodded, going over to the boxes and getting said file out. “If it’s Uranua then it’s probably their history, but it’s worth a shot.” 

Inside, it was surprisingly mostly Plutoean. Elenore just watched, “I’ve read through it before, all it says in Uranua is about the concept of death and rebirth as a Star somewhere else.” I read through and nodded, “They’re not wrong. The rest just says that Stars represent our inner power and feed off of it.” That sparked something. “Wait, do you know if there’s a document on Emilayah?” Elenore nodded, “Mhm! She came from Nepti origin, though she’s now specifically a Plutoean guardian. Most of the scrolls about her are in Neptune language, but since she’s now Plutoean, some of it I still can’t read.” They flipped through the folders, handing me a few of the files with ‘Emilayah’ written on it.

“In Nepti, it says that she originated from Mother Nature and is her Heart. She might be the ocean goddess, but she also inhabits empathy and maybe even ice?” I quickly read through the part where it changed to Stars. I read it aloud to Elenore, “‘Emilayah swore to elders and youth that her children will be more powerful than ever before once the Stars are burned. Weaknesses are hardly shared, but frosted fire and ice can hurt her more than ever. If an Emilayan child can weld this power along with a Denver son and Fear, then it’s possible that the Stars can continue to shine.’”

Elenore blinked. “A Denver son is a long line of Mother Nature’s children and Fear is a demon that rules under Jaxsonii. If that was morphed together, Stars would continue to live but it’s even more likely that you would..” They didn’t finish their sentence, but it was understood.

“If I go out as a Hero, elected by the Stars themselves, I could die just trying.” I summarized, closing the folder and moving it to the side. Elenore nodded slowly, “Heroes always end up dying.” They smiled to me, “Let’s just hope you won’t along with the others. I can tell you’re strong even though this is our first time speaking. You can have the rest of the clock, until break, off. Try to figure out the rest of what you can. If you want anyone else with you, just ask me and I’ll get them for you.”

I smiled, “Thanks, but I think this is enough for right now. I know a few people I’d want with me, but.. This is enough.” I got up from the chair, taking my bag and walking to the door. I waved to Elenore, “Be safe.” With that, I walked out and shut the door. Now, I’m left with the possibility of death. This is fine.


	14. Chapter 14

“Mother knows how much I love her, but she’s always doing other things. So, I’ll keep waiting in the wings.”

Tick. It was break. Time went by fast in those few moments in their office. I started walking down the hallways in the direction of the courtyard but there was an interruption. In an offended tone, someone yelled “Why would that matter to you?” Another responded, “I don’t want anyone getting hurt.” The first voice spoke again, “Oh, so what about me?” The other answered, “You could be better.” 

I peeked from behind one of the walls, finding two similar figures. The voices sounded familiar. “Better? I’m guessing you think you’re amazing and flawless.” The first person remarked and the other shook their head, “Not really, but if I wanted to be dead then I just have to jump from your ego to your IQ.” Was that Lin? If so, that was brutal.

The first speaker gasped. “It’s not that low!” Lin sighed, “Ezzy, I’ve known you for years. You’re dumb as shit.” Ezell? That was an oddly cute nickname. Ezell crossed her arms, “As if it matters- We’re getting off topic! You need to explain to me what happened yesterday!”

“A lot happened yesterday.”

“You know what I meant!” 

Lin shrugged, “You were on the train with everyone else, leaving for the dining hall.” She narrowed her eyes, “And how do you know that?” They frowned, “It’s a schedule. I hope you realize you’re only providing more proof for my previous statement- that you are a dumbass.” Not gonna lie, it was funny to watch. 

The dark haired girl frowned, “I’m not. Anyway, all I know is I went from being on the train to being in my dorm with blacking out in between.” She looked back at them, “And as far as I know, you’re the only weirdo who would have the braincells on some strange mystery like this.” Lin sighed and ran their hand through their hair, “First off, thank you for acknowledging that I’m a weirdo. Second, I’m flattered you thought of me.” 

Ezell flushed, awkwardly clearing her throat. “Don’t be. I never did! You’re not important to me! Just tell me what happened!” The taller kid rolled their eyes, “You were left on the train and someone took you back. There, you happy?” She frowned, “Who? And no, I am not!” Lin didn’t look directly at her, “Just one of the train workers, or one of the later riders. To be determined.” She huffed, a faint steam escaping from her mouth. “Did you hear me, Lindolyn? I said, who was it?” They frowned, “It’s just a person! Why do you want to every little fucking thing?” 

Ezell growled, “I really hate fighting, but you probably know that already. Though I’ll make an exception because you’re really pissing me off.” She brought a hand to her chest, a red light flowing through. It slowly lowered and grew to a shape- oh that’s a sword. Lin just raised an eyebrow, “A sword? Could be better.” They didn’t make any raise of weaponry, just staying empty handed. 

She held the red blade comfortably in her hand. “Of course, you go empty handed. Knowing you, you’ll have some stupid trick up your sleeve.” Ezell raised it and looked at the other, “But I won’t fall for it.” She started running towards them, holding the sword firmly, then falling down. She coughed, “What-?” 

Lin smirked, walking past. “You said you won’t fall, yet you did. Ironic, isn’t it?” The tiles underneath where her feet were, a root had grown out from the cracks. The dark haired girl jumped up, slicing through the branch easily. She glared at the other, “Fine, I’ll give that to you.” They laughed faintly, “We’ll see.” They stayed empty handed, though this only made Ezell’s confidence boost.

She ran towards them again, though stepped to the side before stabbing the air, sending a few strikes their way. Though, the flares were blocked by an opaque shield, the color being a slight color of green. Ezell frowned, bringing the sword to her side as Lin brought the shield to their back. The darker girl shook her head, stepping to the wall and leaping upwards, bringing the sword down. Green fell back, holding back the shield by their feet. A few struggling moments before they kicked the barrier back, pushing Ezell off. 

The sword’s blade flickered, dimming down. She glanced at it, grabbing it quickly and the blade igniting again. Fire was a big thing to it, wasn’t it.. Lin stepped back, rubbing their wrist. “Let’s not do this. You know better.” Ezell laughed, “Me? I thought that was your job.” They frowned, “I do what I can.” A spark of a green light flickered behind them, fading in and out. She didn’t seem to notice it though. Ezell pointing the sword forward, the blade breaking off into shards and firing. The green light dimmed and Lin ducked down, avoiding the flames though just hopping around the other. They returned back to their previous spot and the dark haired girl raised an eyebrow, “What was that for?”

They smiled, “Everyone has their spare tricks, Crimson.” One of Lin’s hands flipped around, the thumb rising in the middle of the four other fingers. With a swift up-to-downwards motion, the previous green light returned though around the other. It morphed into an arrow form and fired. A dark red shield rose up and Ezell hefted it down with a sigh. She looked at Lin and spoke between panting, “Tell me what happened. Who was it? And if you don’t tell me, I could do this all day.” 

The white haired brunette lowered their gaze, “Sure you could. You’ll lose your flame eventually.” She rose up her sword again, the blade burning brighter until the object was practically engulfed in flames. Now that was real fire, and if we’re going off of the previous branch, Lin is in danger. Though they didn’t seem that scared about possibly being burned alive. 

I jumped up and raced forward, stepping between the two. Ezell frowned, “Well, hello there Blue! Nice to see a lying face around here.” I stood between them, though stepping in Lin’s direction slightly. “Why are you even fighting? Plus, isn’t burning someone for not telling you something a little much?” Lin stood in place, though I could feel their gaze looking at (down?) me. “How long were you here?” I shrugged, “I honestly have no idea. Long enough to know you two were in the middle of something.” They sighed, “Close enough, could make it sound a little less romantic but it’ll do.” 

Ezell stepped forward, the fire burning brighter. “Not like it matters to you! You have no part in this!” I stepped to the side, my back to Lin. “I think I do since I was there when you passed out!” Her eyes widened before frowning again, “Yeah, Williams thought it would be funny.” She rolled her eyes, “Ha ha! Very hilarious! I can’t get enough of this performance!” She looked right at me, “That was his problem, not yours, so go find something more your speed.” 

Lin stepped forward, standing in front of me. “You don’t say that to her.” They kept their distance though still looked right at her. Ezell smiled, “Oh, you think you’re friends? Well, news flash, Bluesy. This- This nuisance won’t get you anywhere. Look at where they are now! At the bottom of the hierarchy and the school’s joke. Trust me, they’ll try to prove their worth but at the end of the day? They’ll hurt you and everyone else. They did that for me, and they’ll do that to you.” 

Lin’s voice came out quiet, they turned to me. Through the strong exterior, there was a slight broken look in their expression. “She’s wrong. It’s all a lie. Don’t listen to her.” Ezell smirked, “Sure, believe them. Think I’m wrong? You’re just rejecting safety. Try to survive a relationship with them and you will see.” 

I looked between the two, before staring right at Ezell. “You are wrong. Both of you are. I’m not picking sides, but what I’m saying is entirely true. Whatever happened long ago to you two, you need to apologize and make up for it. I know Ez is a bit of a.. Bully, and Lin can be a bit much, though without all of those problems, you two fit together perfectly! So, why can’t you just get along?” 

The two took one look at each other before looking away with disgusted expressions. Ezell pointed at the other, “Me? Friends with them? I’m all for jokes, but this a little much.” Lin frowned, “I hate to say this, but I agree. This dumbass isn’t the.. Greatest person to be or even talk to.” She nodded, “I agree! Wait-”

I smiled, “Can you at least try?” Lin frowned, “Emmi, I don’t think you understand what you’re asking-” I blinked rapidly and smiled wide, “For me?” Lin winced, glancing at the dark haired girl and back at me before sighing. “I’ll try, but it won’t be easy.” I clapped, “Great! Thank you for at least wanting to give it a shot.” I quickly hugged them and pulled away, looking back and finding a faint red on their face. They coughed and looked away, “No problem. No problem at all.”

Ezell spoke again. “I would love to, but unfortunately the Heartwarming effect can’t go away unless I use it so..” She smirked and stepped back, “You might wanna run.” The fire flared and rose up, the heat was almost unbearable. All of this was stupid- why couldn’t they get along? Of course, they’ve had their differences and obviously they’re opposites, and what I said about them being perfect for each other might’ve been a lie, but why would it matter? One second Ezell was smiling and fire aplenty, the next second she was drenched and with a look of horror.

I glanced at Lin, who wasn’t near her at all. No one else was around. A faint dropping sound played and I looked up, finding a burst pipe in the ceiling. Ezell shrieked, “Who did this? Why?” Lin rolled their eyes, “You just threatened us, so getting washed isn’t that bad of a solution.” She frowned, “I wasn’t asking you.” They ignored the response, “There’s a water fountain around the corner, and the sewage system has always been clean.” She tied back her hair with a band, “Then what?” 

A replay of what was said yesterday played in my head. “‘You’re the daughter of Emilayah, ocean goddess. Queen of terraforming for oceans, seas, glaciers, and so on.’” The pipes were from the sewage system, I could hear the waves just from the fissure. Lin seemed to get this, taking a hesitant look in my direction. They walked over and stood beside me. Their voice faded into a whisper, “It might’ve been you.” I looked at my hands before tugging at my cardigan, “No, it can’t. I have no idea how I did that.” Lin looked up at the pipes, “Emilayah was formed by Mother Nature’s heart. Her powers come from emotions. That breakage was caused by you being upset.” They looked back at me, “Which is what I’m assuming how you felt.” 

I frowned, “I.. was. I just want things to be peaceful, not problematic.” Lin rested a hand on my shoulder, rubbing it slightly. “Humans are complicated creatures. There’s no way a world could be peaceful without the cost of trauma and pain.” I sighed, “I guess you’re right.” Ezell piped up, “I have no idea what you two are whispering about, but if you could be a dear and please explain to me why I can’t use my powers anymore?” 

Lin rolled their eyes, “What happens when water interacts to fire? It burns out. That’s what happened, princess.” Ezell flushed and rolled her eyes in return, “I know that.” They raised an eyebrow, “Then why ask?” She raised her voice, “I don’t know, okay!” They muttered under their breath, “Idiot.” I picked at the hems of the lace, “It’s break time so maybe you two could-”

“No! No, no, no, no!” Ezell repeated and Lin smiled faintly, “I don’t do much during break anyway.” She started ranting, “I have my whole meeting! I have a friend group that I have to go hang out with! If I don’t go, they’ll- They’ll-” Lin stood beside me and looked at her, “They’ll what? You hang out with the popular kids, who are all other assholes and prim ass fucks. Plus, all you do is talk to girls and you’ve already talked to Emmi.” She stepped towards them, “I don’t talk to girls! I talk to everyone!” They rolled their eyes, “Do you count claiming a poor boy that he did something he didn’t do as talking?” She frowned, “You talk big for someone so closed off.” They smiled, “Thanks, it’s the introversion.” She crossed her arms, “I wasn’t complimenting you.” Lin smiled again, “I think otherwise. Apparently, you do it often.” They tapped in the direction of her head and she flushed, “Stay out of my head! That’s my business!” They just shrugged.

Ezell shivered, buttoning up the red flannel. Lin walked past them and checked down the hallway, “You look like one of those crying cat memes.” She blinked and raised her voice, “I do not!” They walked up to her, “Yes, you do.” They took out the band and ran a hand through her hair. Whether it was magic or not, she seemed to get calmer. She rolled her eyes, “I don’t.” They twisted their finger around her hair, a slither of green light flowing through before they walked past. She seemed like she wanted to hit Lin and tell them to leave her alone, but for some reason, she didn’t do either of those things. 

I stood between the two. “So.. Lin, where do you go for break?” They blinked, “Uh, my- our dorm.” I looked at them with a confused expression, “Wouldn’t that take a while?” Ezell rolled her eyes, “See, Linny has a thing where they can pretty much teleport as long as they’re on the ground.” I beamed and looked at Lin, “Really? That’s cool! Can you do it right now?” Lin frowned and stepped back, “Uh, no. It doesn’t work well with others around. Plus, I haven’t really perfected the transportation yet.” Ezell laughed, “Wow! Something you can do that isn’t perfect! I thought I’d never see the day!” They raised an eyebrow, “Like you’re one to talk.” 

She scoffed, “Excuse me? I’ve perfected every single movement in my power! Each flare, blade, and casting is all planned!” They rolled their eyes, “Sure. Though you could stand to actually be threatening for once.” Crimson gasped, “I am threatening! People quake in my presence!” Lindolyn crossed their arms, “You struggled to ask for help to get your drink from the dispenser.” Ezell talked again, “You’re not that threatening either!” Lin stepped forward, the same green light glowed in their eyes. “At least I do a better job than you.” The green light was copied to Ezell’s eyes, washing out the dark red. She seemed to force the words out, “You’re threatening! Fine, I said it!” The green light in her eyes faded and she looked at them, “What did you-?” Lin’s eyes dimmed and they turned to me, “If we’re going to the dorms, then we should leave now. We have a guest, don’t we, Emmi?” They looked back at Ezell, who was still getting over the green color. 

I glanced at the two before smiling, “We do.” I caught the faint glow of green around my vision.


	15. Chapter 15

“But here’s what you don’t comprehend. At least she has the guts to not pretend to be my friend!”

We started walking down the hallways before the green had faded away. After it had gone, I oddly felt like a weight was taken off my shoulders. If Lin had done something, then what? I shook the thought out of my head. No time to overthink about that. 

I looked over at Ezell, who was walking a bit in front of me. “So, what’s the Heartwarming effect?” I asked and she smiled, looking in my direction. “It was one of the first things I learned! Every Red Diamond learns it at some point. You see- Ezona was created when the first fire was made and continued to burn in the hearts of lovers, figuratively. So it was named the Heartwarming effect, combining both love and fire power.” She explained and I tilted my head to the side, “Love power? I thought you only did fire magic, from what I saw.”

Lin quickly answered. “The Heartwarming effect starts with a lot of flames, and if you get burned or heated, then for a few hours they’re under the caster’s control.” Ezell raised an eyebrow, “How do you know that?” They just responded blankly, “I was caught with it once.” It confused me even more but guessing from her instant blushing that something happened. 

It didn’t take long before there were rapid footsteps. The dark haired girl looked behind us, though Lin didn’t turn around. “Ems! Emmi!” The voice sounded different, like a certain dramatic student in particular. Lin just sighed and the new arrival came into view- yep, it was the thespian. Kip gasped, “Blues, this may be a strange question but do you hear the rain?” I raised an eyebrow, taking a second to pause and listen. Sure enough, the pattering of the rain was faint but it seemed to grow louder in waves.

Ezell looked confused, “There’s- There’s no rain.” Kip side eyed to her direction and leaned towards me, lowering his voice. “Why are you, uh, around that-“ He motioned to her, “That Heather Chandler son of a bitch?” Ezell’s confused expression lightened up and she smiled, “You know Heathers?” 

He nodded hesitantly, “Yeah? Why do you ask?” She beamed, grabbing his arm and pulling him into a hug. “Forget everything I said or did before- You’re amazing!” Williams stayed in the embrace for a second before shaking his head and pulling away. “Excuse me? You’re asking me to forget everything you’ve done? Forget that you said my interests were useless, my voice wasn’t normal, that I shouldn’t be around my friends-” Lin picked it up, “Said several offensive things then sugar coated them with passive aggressive compliments, ganged up to tease or pressure other students, manipulated smarter students to giving you answers-” She broke, “Fine! I haven’t done some nice things, but I still have time to change!” They rolled their eyes, “Sure.”

Lin looked back at the shorter boy, “So, how’s your boyfriend?” He flushed and shrieked, “HE’S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!!” They just nodded, “Mhm. Sure. We’ll see.” Ezell stepped back, standing a bit beside Lin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, only that you have a guy you like and deny dating each other, so I agree- how’s your husband?” 

Kip grew red, “We’re not dating! We’re just friends!” I turned to him, “So, why’d you come to look for me?” He cleared his throat, talking through the blushing, “I don’t know where Sean or Jackson is and as far as I know, Sunshine is going through a breakdown.” 

I frowned, “What? Where is he?” He shrugged, “That’s the thing- I don’t know. I tried to listen for his flip flops but he must be on the ground or standing still.” I raised an eyebrow and rubbed my arm, “Why’d you look for me? I don’t know how to use my power at all.” He patted my shoulder lightly, “You’re our friend, why would I not?” A smile passed between us before Lin cleared their throat.

Ezell rolled her eyes, “What else do you want to say, Green?” They frowned, “You may be shocked, but I don’t mind helping you find your friend.” Kip smiled, “Thanks.” She blinked and quickly added, “Uh- Does your friend usually get bullied?” He shrugged, “A bit? I’ve tried to stop it in the past but they usually get me involved in the process. She looked away, “Maybe I can tell them to stop? I’m one of the popular kids, they’ll listen to me.” The dramatic student frowned, “How do I know you’re not lying? Duke, over here, said you’ve joined bullying before.” She winced, “Yeah.. but that was in the past, let me try to be better and actually help for once.” Ezell smiled slightly before I nodded, “Give it a go.”

Kip shook his head, “Okay! Party of four, it is! Now, onward!” He bolted down the hallway. I struggled to catch up but eventually he stopped. I looked behind me and found the other two following- Ezell not having a good time and Lin going at a decent pace. 

Williams knocked on the wall a few times, soon pressing his ear close to it. I opened my mouth to speak before he set off running again. The rain seemed to get louder as we passed through the hallways. We ran through one more passage before he stopped, “Get away from my boy!” I turned and saw a group of at least seven students that were near the sunny student. 

Kip pushed them away and hugged Sean, a quiet apology before a wave of dark washed over. The students stumbled away from it and Jackson emerged from the shadow, also immediately going to Sean and apologizing. I ran over to the trio and gave him a hug of my own.

“Don’t all of you have something better to do?” Ezell’s voice rang out. She stood in front of us with her arms crossed, a dark red scabbard hung at her hip, the handle of the previous sword showed it was the home of it. They shared their confusion, “What are you doing?” and “Why are you here?” 

Lin walked by calmly and stood beside her, staying a couple inches away. They smiled slightly, “Your teachers forgot one lesson to teach you here.” The dark haired girl continued the thought, “You don’t bully unless you wanna know what it’s like to get burned.” 

She unsheathed her sword and slashed it a few times, the red flares hitting the ceiling. The kids just shook their head before the tiles fell, revealing the earthy tone underneath. Roots grew out and reached them, wrapping around limbs before raising them up into the air. Ezell just looked in Lin’s direction then walked up to the students.

Crimson smiled at each of them, “Spread a message to everyone in the school, make sure it reaches the richies- there’s a new group in town and the one and only Ezell Crimson is included! If anyone gets hurt by some remarkable reason, we’ll be there, and we’ll win. So, if any one of you tries something-” She looked between them, “Then it won’t work.” 

The roots dropped them and the students scurried off. The rain from before seemed to cool down, noticing how Sean seemed to lack any tears. He smiled at the two, “You make a good team.” They glanced at each other before looking away, claiming that it was just a coincidence and that it wasn’t on purpose. 

Jackson frowned and stood up, clutching his umbrella. “So, Ezell, huh? One of the misfits?” She nodded and raised an eyebrow, “Got a problem with it, midnight?” He hesitated before sighing, mumbling “I don’t like you.” under his breath.

Kip jumped up and beamed. “We have a friend group now! Hey, it’s still break- How about we spend it together?” I smiled, though Lin shook their head. “I have better things to do.” Sean stood up, pulling me up with him. “Surely you don’t. You look like your ‘better things to do’ is just sitting alone and reading.” They blinked and looked away, “You didn’t have to call me out like that.” 

He smiled, the same sunshine from yesterday seemed to come back. Sean looked at everyone, “I guess we should get to know each other, then.” With that, we headed outside, walking not as enemies but on our way as friends. The thought made me happy, knowing that it would only be awhile until all of us were equals.


	16. Chapter 16

“We may be lost and gone forever. The rain will wash our memory. But when we cry, we cry together. Like it was meant to be.”

Being friends with these people separately was easy, but trying to be a friend group was something I overestimated. We reached the willow tree from yesterday while Kip rambled about a post he read online. At some point, Lin pitched in other things they’ve seen to combat what Kip knew and that blew up into an argument. It got a bit out of hand and still continued even after Jackson dragged the flamboyant student away. 

We all sat down on the ground, though Lin stayed standing up and leaned against one of the nearby trees. From one action of pressing onto wood, an exchange made was clear in their expression. 

Jackson stood up and walked in their direction and gave a small wave, to which they returned. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.” He commented and Green raised an eyebrow, “You’re not exactly hard to miss either.” They looked back at him, “So.. how is..” They made a signal to his umbrella and he shivered, “It’s.. We’re okay.” They frowned slightly, still eyeing the cosmetic before looking away. 

Sean clapped, easily bringing everyone’s attention to him. “How is everyone’s time here so far?” Ezell piped up, “A few girls are starting their own makeup shop here. I might check it out when it’s open.” Williams beamed and looked at her, “Can I come with?” She nodded with a smile. 

I answered the question. “I bumped into Elenore earlier.” Ezell blinked and quickly switched her attention to me, “Are they okay? What happened?” I frowned slightly and leaned away, “El’s okay- They just needed some help with a few folders.” 

She rested her head on a propped hand, “Really? I hope they are since they’ve been trying a few things.” Lin gasped, “That was what it was!” They looked back at us before apologizing. 

I held my hands together and looked back at Crimson. “What are they doing? All they asked me to do was translate Plutoean letters.” She frowned, “They asked me to keep this between us, but hopefully none of you will go spreading this around!” She specifically looked at Kip and Lin, though both just avoided looking back at her.

Ezell crossed her arms, “Ellie, unlike all of us, is magicless and believes they’re useless without powers. While digging through ancient logs in the library, they found dead spells that were only used to create fae armies. They shared it with me and believed if they can master it, they can help more.” She explained and Lin frowned, “And why do they trust you?” 

She snapped, “I was one of the first people to greet them! The second we talked-” She made a click sound, “Instant besties!” Lindolyn leaned away and faced Crimson, “This friendship wasn’t to use them or manipulate them?” 

Ezell stood up and balled her fists, “Why do you always think I’m going to manipulate someone? Like, everytime I talk to someone, I’m thinking of evil plans and whatever you think I do.” Lin yelled, “Because that’s what you did to me!” Their eyes widened and stepped back, looking at the rest of us. 

Jackson was whimpering, Kip stayed silent, and Sean just awkwardly rubbed his arm. They looked at the darker boy, wrapping their arms around their stomach and taking more steps back. Bright and I looked back at Lin, the sunny kid reaching a hand out. A gray passed over their eyes and they shook their head. 

“I.. I’ll just go..” Green declared, walking backwards to the door. I frowned, getting up and running to them right when they placed their hand on the door. I looked up to them, “Lin, I don’t know what you went through with Ez, but I know you two can get along. Maybe if you-” 

“Stop it with the maybes!” They interrupted, shaking their head. “You’re starting to sound like Mis..” I opened my mouth to talk but nothing came out. Lin pressed on the door and motioned me away with a green dust. “Go enjoy your time with the others. It’ll be better with me not in the way.” I know you can hear what I’m thinking, L. So, please- just let me talk to you.

They shook their head, “No. This is my own problem. If I can’t do it by myself, then what’s the point of being alone?” They turned to leave before looking back, “And quit with the nicknames.. It reminds me too much of family..” They quietly added, “And my family isn’t great.” 

Lin turned and shut the door, leaving me standing alone. The green hue faded after a few seconds, allowing me to talk and move again. Jackson ran to where I stood, “Are you alright? I can talk to them-” 

I looked back at him, “How would you? I tried and they literally shut me out. Not like I can get a word in anymore.” He smiled a bit, “I have a few friends that would be more than happy to help.” His foot scraped at the pavement, the shadow of his figure moved in sync, but something felt.. Off. Black didn’t move but the shadow moved it’s hand in a wave motion. My eyes widened and he chuckled, “Yeah. Kip thought it was crazy too.” 

The said boy hollered in our direction, “Hey! J and E!” He waved his arms around for more effect, soon breaking out into laughter. I looked at the group, “How are they not upset?” Jackson shrugged, “I don’t honestly know. Though I have an idea.” I looked back at him, “What?” There was sincere worry in what I said, considering what had happened. 

He frowned slightly, hesitating before saying one word. “Gray.” The dark boy walked away and back to the others, waving back to the theater kid who seemed overjoyed to have him back. 

I rubbed my arm and looked around. My voice hushed down to a whisper, “Misery.. Let me help Lindolyn. I’m probably one of the first people that actually wants to be friends with them. So, please.. Give me a chance to talk to them.” The air was still, not a word being spoken. I sighed and walked back to the group. 

Kip was flipping through a notebook before landing on a page. He held a colorful pen in his hand and started chewing on the cap. “I can’t remember the start of this one song..” Seems like he’s talking to himself. 

Ezell asked, “What are you trying to do?” He flipped back and forth, “Making a mashup. It should be easy, but damn, is it hard.” She looked over, “Steven Universe?” I glanced over at the writing- ‘No Matter What’ written in messy handwriting. 

She thought for a moment, “In the light of the day, in the dark of the night. When you’re rarin’ to go, when you’re tired from the fight. When you’re losing your mind, let me give you a thought. I’m gonna be right by your side no matter what.” The words sang in a comfortable key as Kip scribbled the words down, Crimson seemed to continue. 

“In the dark of the night,” He caught on, “In the dark of the night,” He filled in, “In the light of the day.” “In the light of the day.” It seemed like a call and repeat. 

“When you’re rising to shine,”

“When you’re rising to shine,”

“When you’re hittin’ the hay.”

“When you’re hittin’ the hay.”

He stopped writing but kept singing along with her. “I’ll be hangin’ around,” “I’ll be hangin’ around,” She smiled, “If you like it or not.” “If you like it or not.” 

“I’m gonna be right by your side no matter what!” Both of them sang together and burst out into cheering. Kip gasped, “I had no idea you knew that fandom too!” Ezell rolled her eyes, “One of the many wonders Earth passed to the other planets.” Sean smiled, “You two sound great together.” Both looked at each other, pausing before embracing one another. “I agree!” Williams laughed.

Jackson shuffled to sit beside me, keeping the umbrella close to him. He kept his eyes on the other dark haired student, a start of a frown on his face. I looked at him, “Are you jealous already?” He looked back at me, “What? No! It just.. Seems fake.” 

I frowned a bit, “How?” He tensed up, “You already know that.. Gray did something. His powers are empath and emotions and well..” He looked back at the two who were already exchanging contacts. “Kip is quick to move on, but he’d still acknowledge the departure. Sean would be quiet and keep to himself. What Ezell would do- I don’t know. It’s obvious this is fake and he did something to them.”

I nodded, “I got that. Though, I can’t tell how he’d be here.” He rubbed his fingers together, “Shapeshifting. There’s also anecdotes that he travels through dust and debris.” I looked back to each of them, looking closer. Flecks of gray were on their faces and eyes- noted. 

Jackson’s grip on the umbrella tightened, “If he keeps this faking act up, I swear-” I looked back to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, “Hey, no. Gray’s a teacher, we can just talk to him.” He looked back and sighed, getting ready to talk again before a tick sounded. 

Black stood up and pulled me up with him, stumbling for a moment after doing it. Kip ran over, giving him a side hug before running off and waving. Ezell joined a group of passing students, similar to how she dressed and looked, walking inside another way. Sean waved in our direction before running off farther outside. We both went in the same direction.

I fiddled with the hems of the cardigan and quietly started, “So are you and Kip-” “We aren’t dating.” He answered quickly, frowning and closing his umbrella as we walked inside. Though as soon as he put it down, he tugged a hood over his head- Wait, there was a hood?

We went the same way before turning opposite directions to different halls. Jackson waved and walked away, I returned the gesture. I kept walking down the hallways, the classrooms becoming more and more sparse. Class can wait, for now I need to have a therapy session with a roommate of mine.


	17. Chapter 17

“I won’t pretend to know just what you’re going through, but I’d give anything for you.”

I’ve never tried finding the dorms on my own or without the train. I hoped there would be directions, like one of those mall signs that show a layout of the entire place, but nope. Nothing. I tried looking at the student badge, but there was only the schedule and my identity. Guess I just have to go off how confused the students and teachers get as I go farther and farther.

Not only did the classrooms seem to thin out as I walked through each hallway, students passing by seemed to whisper and giggle “Newbies always lose their way.” and teachers kept stopping me to ask if I needed help finding my class. I guess the Academy has an issue with tardies.

One of the hallways lead to an outside pavilion, gardens bordering the path. The thing that stood out, well really stood out, was the gardens weren’t how they were. Before when I would walk past, they were gorgeous and colorful, arranged in a complimentary way. Now, walking by, each plant was uprooted and flowers wrapped around the poles tightly. Even a few roses that had no thorns had sharp thorns on their vines. Now, that might be unnerving but it at least shows I’m on the right track.

Through the other doors was the destination I was looking for- the dorms, not our dorm. Finding ours may be easier than I intended though, considering vines grew up from inside one of the doors. I thought they would’ve grown the door shut, but it wasn’t. I didn’t have a key or anything, so I tried the card- guess that worked. 

The inside of the dorm wasn’t entirely swarmed with plants as I thought. Vines just went from the door, corners, to Lin’s door. My side of the dorm wasn’t touched at all- should I be relieved or worried? Their door, however, was barged with roots and thorns. Looking closer, there wasn’t a single spot, not even a centimeter of air or peace. 

I knocked on the door- no answer. Though one of the roots twisted its shape, slowly turning and joining together to make a reptilian form. It must’ve been a snake of sorts since the second it shifted, it hissed and lunged forward in my direction- but it was pulled back by the lack of room.

I stepped back, sitting down on the ground two feet away from the door. It was probably a bit close, but I wasn’t opposing any threat to the barricade and that seemed to satisfy it. “Hey.. Green? This is Emmi. I just want to talk to you, if that’s okay.” The root reptilian circled and tightened on the doorknob- okay, no conversation then, that’s off the list. 

My mind wandered to the kitchen. People always say the best way into someone’s heart is through food so will that work? I don’t even know their favorite food or snack. Dad normally baked sweets or cookies for me so maybe that will work? I don’t know at this point.

I got back up, turning sharply and going to the mini cooking station that was there. What I was doing must’ve interested Lin- or the snake, I’m not judging- since I felt a gaze looking once I turned my back to the door. The way Dad taught cooking and baking was the fastest yet efficient way. You could have only a few ingredients and still make something good. It might not seem right or feel empty, but that’s the purpose of learning and getting better! Development would be meaningless without something to learn from. 

They must have been here often considering there were quite a few groceries in the cabinets, each one organized. I have to give them credit where credit is due, to be honest. Most of the packages had directions on the side, so it’s possible they’re trying to learn how to cook or bake. Though they don’t seem to try it at all. 

A few of the boxes were cookie recipes, mainly the normal plain kind. Hey, I’m not judging. Everyone has their things that they like. I picked one of the recipes and set it to the side, putting the rest back where they previously were. I was taught the fastest way to bake or cook things while still making it good, so hopefully this wouldn’t take long.

I was right! It did not take long! Three mental cheers to you, Emmi!

Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long for it to finish. It might not be a five star cuisine, but it’s something. Taking one of the plates that were stacked on the far counter, I put a few of the cookies on it. The rest of the batch went into a small plastic bag that I quickly slipped into my messenger bag. 

I set the plate to the side after noticing the tea kettle in one of the clear cabinets. Did Lin even like tea? Would they enjoy it? I took the kettle, rushing to make a cup of tea. At the end, I just added some sugar and cream before calling it a day. 

I left the cup on the counter beside the kettle, taking the cookie plate and walking back to their door. “You probably want me to go away, but I don’t want to leave without knowing if you’re safe or not.” I placed it in front of the door, just a few inches away from the barged plants. I reclaimed my balance and walked away, close to turning my back before the roots parted and a hand snatched a cookie away. 

“You really are like a cat.” I muttered under my breath, not necessarily in a rude manner. I didn’t hear biting or crunching, plus no crumbs were in sight. Though, I’d like to hope they did eat it. The hand returned and took the rest of the plate quickly. I laughed quietly, sitting down on the carpet floor that was in the main room. 

There was a rustle, the roots slowly released from the doorway and the door cracked open. It drifted open a couple more centimeters, but no one walked out. The snake around the knob extended and slithered down on the floor, going inside before poking its head out of the frame and looking at me. 

I quietly waved and it quickly slithered a few inches away from me. It poked the edge of my shoe and its tail pointed to the cracked door, moving away and back inside. I think it means I can go inside. 

I pulled my weight together and stood up, following the reptile inside the room. This was probably my first time being in Lin’s room. Looking around, it contradicted how I imagined it to be. I thought it would’ve been neat and orderly, but it's the exact opposite. The bedroom would be fully dark if not for the dimmed lamps and Christmas lights that were hung on the walls. A green light glowed at the nightstand, the same phone being hooked to a charger. Green seemed to be in the room, on the bed, but within multiple layers of clothing. An empty spot was cleared on the cushion and I slowly sat down beside them.

Only after I sat down, my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. One of the jackets wasn't of the usual black, white and green- instead it was dark gray with red embroidery. A seam in ‘EJKC’ was on the chest pocket, so it's possible that the item is of Ezell’s…?

I recognized their face quickly, their body tensing up. Lin faced me and rushed a response, “No, it isn’t!” They brought their legs to their chest and added a bit more quietly, “It isn’t hers..” From what they didn’t hide behind their figure, I could tell that thought had them flushed. 

They shook their head, slowly loosening again and showed their face. It was normal beside the clear shadow underneath their eyes, running down their cheeks and to their jaw. If they’d been crying, then I thought they would’ve hidden it better. 

Lin frowned, “You can say what you want, you know. I’m not here to gatekeep.” I frowned slightly before sighing, “Sorry.. But-” I paused, taking a slow breather and continued.   
“I don’t know what you went through with Ezell or whoever else made your life bad. I just know there’s still a part of you that wants to reach out and make amends. You two are a wonderful team, even though you refuse to believe it. I might sound like a romance author, but you’re really a good pair together.” I offered a smile in their direction, only to find they weren’t looking back.

It was quiet before Green talked again. “She wasn’t the only one that made my life hell.” They looked at the lights and intertwined their fingers with the wires. “My.. mother is my godly parent. I would say who she is, but I’d rather not have you or anyone deathly ill.”

They glanced at me after they stopped, hesitating before continuing. “My father would be the good parent, but he was weak in my mother’s eyes. The only times I’d have a good day is if it was just me and him or me and..” I picked it up, “You and Ezell?” Lin nodded, “But she still figured out how to take those happy moments away. I wish she never did…” 

I looked back at them, “What happened with Ezell?” Their frown lifted, replaced by a small smile. “She was a great best friend. I.. have no idea why she did what she did, but I still can’t forgive her for it.” The stubborn frown was back. 

I tilted my head and asked, “What did she do?” They tensed up, “Surely, you’d know. Though not everyone can memorize the legends.” They sighed and answered, “With every child of my kind, there’s a child of Ezona that is fated to literally stab them in the back. The story was ingrained into my memory, but I still continued to be around her. It was the only thing my mother was right about telling me.”

My eyes widened and a faint gasp left my mouth. “Did.. Did she-?” Lin shook their head, “No, she didn’t. I escaped around the time she got there. Something I can thank Michael for.” I relaxed a bit and they did too. 

Their hand reached behind the vest they wore and into a chest pocket, unfolding a small ruined photograph. There was a girl that looked like Crimson, but beside her another child stood, smiling. That must’ve been Lin when they were younger. “I guess I have this to thank, too.” They bitterly muttered and slipped the photo back into the pocket. 

I spoke up, deciding to change the subject. “What about your classes? You’ll be late.” At the comment, they seemed to relax. “I do mine online or they give me the work beforehand. After all, what teacher wants a student who just wasted twenty minutes having a meltdown?” Green laughed it off, but I could tell that they didn’t want to talk about any of their issues at the moment.

I shrugged, smiling faintly. “I guess you’re right.” Something else came up. A jingle played throughout our dorm and a voice picked up. “Uh- Lan- Lindolyn Green and Emmira Blue? Please come to the president’s office!” It disconnected and Lindolyn sighed. “They’re making an effort.” I stood up, running and grabbing my bag, walking back. “What do you think they want?” 

They shrugged, “If it’s about my feelings, I want out.” The ombre brunette took the red jacket off, kicking it under the bed and put on a black coat. They didn’t take anything, just walked out and closed the room door. 

We both walked out into the hallway, following the path that was to the office. Once we walked outside and saw the uprooted garden, Lin winced and eyed at the plants, that slowly grew back into the soil and reclaimed their previous placement. They sighed, reaching their hand to behind their neck, relaxing after a moment and brought their hand down. 

Through the breakdown, therapy moment, and silent walk, we got to the front door. Both of us exchanged a glance, Green took a deep breath and brought their hand to the door to knock- not needing to since a figure opened it and jumped into them. 

They had wrapped Lin in a tight hug, “I’m sorry! I really am!” Sure enough, it was the black haired girl they grew to love-hate.


	18. Chapter 18

“Need somebody to tell me- please, please- just how to move on.”

The usual pale complexion of the taller student was overtaken by a dark red. Their dark eyes had the bright green swirling around, fading back and forth. They talked over the apologies, “Let me go!”   
Ezell kept pressing, soon pausing and saying mainly to herself, “I wonder if I can pick you up.” Lin frowned, raising their voice and trying to wiggle out of the embrace.

Normally, I would have stepped in, considering they looked pretty uncomfortable, but I was also curious if they could be picked up. Surprisingly, she easily held up the older student, despite the height comparison. I held in my laughter. Bad decision.

Green demanded again, “Put me down!” Crimson smiled and teased, “Sorry, can’t hear you.” They repeated themselves a few more times, getting the same answer each time. It was obvious that they were getting more and more pissed. 

“Put. Me. DOWN.” Lindolyn yelled, their eyes lighting green like it normally did when they’d use their powers. Though this time was different. Their hair had instantly streaked pure white and their voice seemed muted but also echoed. To me, it didn’t have an effect, though it was clear it had a major effect on Ezell.

Similar to the green eyes the taller student had, her eyes were the solid emerald color. Her body froze, slowly moving her arms and putting them back on the ground. Her arms tore away from their figure and they stepped back. They seemed to analyze her before closing their own eyes, the green from the shorter girl’s face draining and returning to its previous state. 

Lin lingered for a moment, whispering under their breath and walking inside the office. I hesitated for a few seconds, glancing back to the shorter female and quickly following them into the room.   
The light salmon president was sitting by their desk, flipping through folders that I only had the feeling were Starred or Plutoean worded. When they heard the door close after the dark haired student walked behind us, they seemed to perk up after noticing someone new. 

Elenore pushed their chair back and stood up, holding their hand out in the direction of Lin. I could make out the smallest drops of sweat on their palms. “Uh- Hello! I’m Elenore Foster, your school president for this year! It’s nice to work with you.” 

Lin looked down at the hand, as if they were analyzing it before looking back at Foster. I half expected them to give their signature, harsh response, but instead they smiled and took their hand. They shook it lightly, “Wonderful to meet you, President! I can’t wait to get to know you during our time together.” The welcoming and delicate front was definitely believable, but I could tell something about it was fake, forced. Green wasn’t a polite person, maybe, but in their own way. Putting on a smile and making physical connections didn’t fit the kind of character they had.   
But sure enough, Elenore bought it. They smiled awkwardly, “I’m sorry about your-” 

“No problem!” Lin interrupted. Now that was absolutely forced. I could tell even better by that. Something about them made whatever past name they had want to be drowned out and forgotten. Just the start of the previous title had false memories and horrible connotations. “Just a simple mistake, I understand.”

The president brought their hand back, taking a white towel that was draped across the seat of their chair and wiped their hands. They applied some hand sanitizer before speaking up again. “I know everyone here on this planet knows the language, but from further research, you’re one of the top students. Starting with your first year, you only got by with mid range scores, but in second and third, you skyrocketed! It also said that with your growth, you’re allowed to skip a rank, right? Or is that only Earth’s educational system?” 

Lin slicked their hands into their pockets, stepping to the side and leaned to perch themselves beside the wall. They nodded, “Yes, that’s right. It’s something the previous president adopted as a trial round. The academy liked the idea and the advancements, so it became a permanent feature.” I was starting to get lost with all the words.

Elenore beamed, “Amazing! You know so much!” They held a braid in their hands and slowly twisted it around their finger. “I feel kind of awkward knowing that you’re so much smarter than most people here, yet I’m the school representative that knows absolutely nothing!” They added another comment under their breath, “Kind of makes me think you deserve the role better than me.”

Green blurted out, “You deserve it.” Foster blinked and the other carried on. “A sense of fresh air is good every once in a while. You come from Jupiter, correct? Most people here have never been there or outside of Pluto. In a way,” They concluded, “you’re exactly what we need.”

The president paused, a shy smile being worn. “I guess so.” It was quiet, beside the ups and downs of breathing, and I spoke up. “Excuse me,” All attention was brought to me, “Why did you ask us to come here?” 

The salmon head looked back to the folders on their desk, picking a few from the scattered pile. “I did some more searching after I talked with you, Emmi, and it’s so much more complex!” Crimson continued the news, “I thought I could read it, but I couldn’t. It’s some.. Different language.” 

She looked at Green, “Knowing you, I thought you’d know it.” They were handed one of the folders and flipped through, muttering the script to themselves. Their eyes were halfway through the pages before they stopped, “Oh, I’ve seen this before.” They sounded incredibly bored.

This made Elenore smile. “Really? Where?” Ezell rolled her eyes, “They probably read it in some nerd book.” They shook their head, “No, I didn’t.”

“I read it,” They held their hand out and swiped upwards, a green transparent screen glowing. It was like a computer screen- it had minimized tabs, different links and feed opened, a page of information that was opened. The opened tab didn’t have English or even our native tongue. Shapes, dots, stars- a part of me felt as if this was an old language. I could only guess one thing- Starred.

Lindolyn nodded, “You’re right, Emmi.” Foster seemed marveled by the green screen, snapping out of it after that comment. “Star language. I was taught it. Now I’m one of the few living people that can read it.” There was a subtle message hidden in there- “The Stars are living people too.”

Ezell raised an eyebrow, “Well? What does it say?” The white haired student remarked, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know we were in such a rush! Please forgive me for basking in your poor, peasantry filth. I feel my throat, veins, and every atom of my body slowly becoming contaminated by the second from being in your presence.” 

Her eye twitched, annoyance clear in her expression. “Gods, just read it, you prick.” They glanced between the written pages and the green text. I could only think they were translating it mentally.  
It didn’t take long for Lin to give a response. “Alright. So,” They summarized, “It just talks about the Stars and ancient times. How magic started developing, possible human identities of the Stars, Emora and those people.” There was more. I knew it. They didn’t say it, but I could tell there was something they read that cut them somewhere deep.

Thankfully, that was enough for the president. They perked up, “Emora? All I know is he was a symbol of war. I’m surprised that no one interpreted him as a god.” 

Green shook their head. “Nope. All people knew about him was that he was a hunter and rejected any supernatural power.” They shrugged, a small smirk curling at the mouth. “I gotta hand it to him. He was in the right.”

The girl in red twirled a strand of her hair. “Sure. Wasn’t he attacked by someone?” They nodded in confirmation, “Yeah. One of the main three.” Another nerve struck. They took a pause, as if they were uncertain of what to say. Fear was high, odd for someone who seemed fearless. Despite that paranoia, they finished the statement firmly. “He was attacked by Lanoral, Goddess of the Earth.”

No one said her name. Even the name had power. One word of her title and you were done for. Elenore’s eyes widened like a deer in headlights, “What? Wait, how can you-” Lin frowned, “I don’t care what happens to me. She can’t get to me. To me, that lousy excuse of a god is nothing and doesn’t matter.”

It was silent. We all took in their words. I searched through each letter they spoke, figuring out the tone. They said their mother was their godly parent. Is it possible that-

I stopped thinking the second I saw the green glint in Lin’s eyes.

Ezell broke the ice first. “God yells at a hunter who was just doing a solid for humanity, everyone hates him afterwards?” She leaned back, her black curls slid behind her back. “Sounds like one of those Earth news headlines. What state was it that had all those joke lines?” 

Lin answered her question, “Florida, I think. I’m not that big on Earth’s history.” They brushed it off, “I might be wrong. Don’t you dare laugh.” The green hue was pinpointed on the shorter female. I didn’t hear a snort or chuckle, so I assumed they heard a start of laughter in her head. 

She shook her head, the inside giggling already somewhat seeping through. “I-I’m not.” Crimson lied, breaking into a laughing fit right after. Green looked enraged but mainly embarrassed, which I didn’t know exactly was a capable emotion for them.

Elenore came to the rescue. They cleared their throat and brought the conversation up to speed. “Last time I had Emmi here, she read the files about the Ocean Goddess and Stars. From that, I have a few questions that I feel like you might be able to answer.” 

The upset red in their face vanished and Lin just hummed, nodding for the queries. 

They smiled, moving the other folders to one side of the desk and removing one from the pile. ‘Questions’ was written as the heading of the paper and quickly peaked both mine and Lin’s interest.  
“First of all,” Foster started, “What is the Barrier and Corridors? How do they work? Is something guarding it?” The pale student paused, going back to the glowing tabs and scrolling through a few saved documents. They answered after setting the links aside. “The Corridors are never ending halls that show every little memory of you, both negative and positive. It reflects your fears, insecurities, and absolute embarrassments. People usually lose it at this. The Barrier is was the Corridors hide. It’s the shield that divides reality and fantasy. The wall is incredibly fragile and just raising your voice could make it crack. As for what’s protecting it..” 

They didn’t finish, but their inner feelings were a bit too much. Wait. Is empathy a power? I glanced back at the taller teenager, assuming it was correct by their small nod.  
Well, that’s another skill I didn’t know I had.

On the other hand, Crimson was a lot more persistent. She pressed, “What? Is it some demon?” Green shook their head, “No.” Such a simple answer made her even more curious but mainly upset. She stuttered, “But- You- You know! The president asked you! You have to answer!” 

Lin shook their head again, crossed their arms. “Sorry not sorry. The concept of a supreme leader that I have to answer to is foreign to me.” They looked at her, giving a small smirk. “Nothing against you and your long list of ex’s.” 

Elenore quickly intervened, cutting off Ezell’s mix of blushing and fury. “Who’s the Sixth Star?” Lin brought their attention to the salmon head. They leaned back, “Uh..” They avoided making eye contact, “I can’t say.” They frowned, but gave a forgiving smile. “It’s fine. You know it though, right?” The other just nodded.

I suddenly found interest in the hems of my cardigan. “Foster? Have you found anything else, uh, about.. About the hero thing?” I didn’t know how to not be awkward in this situation. For all I know, I was stuck to figure it out myself. 

Elenore paused, thinking for a moment, turning to the other paper folders on their desk and flipping through. They stopped at one, “No, I didn’t. It just keeps repeating.” They handed me the folder. It was the same one I was given before. “It might just be a legend, not real.” 

Ezell’s inner heroine sparked. She stood up and slammed her hands on the desk. “This might be a myth, but it could still be true! Six people, right? Easy. E, you’re one person. I’m a second person. Four more people and we can go for it! I’m not letting all my progress go to waste! So many people have worked so hard to get where they are now. The world ending all because everyone called it a legend just isn’t..” 

“Isn’t satisfying.” Green finished. They crossed their legs and closed the magic tabs they had summoned, “I’m coming with.” 

Ezell’s hands balled into fists. “No! You can’t!” She placed a hand on her chest proudly, “I’m the one who started this, so I get to decide who’s going with me.”

Lin raised an eyebrow, “Really?” Ez nodded with a smug smile. A green apparition of a small insect shaped up on the table, and Crimson greeted it with a high pitched scream, sending one of her own red creations that seemed to be a throwing knife.

They smirked, “Way to be a leader.” She growled, glaring at the remaining green flecks of the shattered glow. “Like you’re any better!” She turned to me, “Emmi! Who’s the leader of this quest of bravery?” She added a dramatic voice to the last part of the sentence.

I rubbed my hands together, feeling a sense of cold go over me. “I don’t know.” I admitted, “I mean, I was told first that I’ll be the hero, so maybe I need to be.” Crimson quickly declined, “What? You’re too fragile to be leading! You’re just a kid! You need to be learning from important people- like me.”

I could hear Lin almost crack into a fit of laughter.

Though, I couldn’t help but feel a bit upset. “What?” She thought she’d won. “I’m right! You don’t even know your powers, Emmi. Your powers won’t matter in this quest! I’ll be the one in charge, so I’ll protect everyone.” 

My body grew numb. There was a piercing twinge at my hands.. There was bleeding. I didn’t think my nails grew long. I tugged down the sleeves to cover my hands. “I’m not weak, Ezell.” It was hard to even speak up. No wonder Nan advised me to stay homeschooled. If I stayed home, I wouldn’t have to go through this. 

There was a part of me that felt useless. I didn’t want to be protected or even be a protector. Though, I couldn’t stop myself from glancing up to see if the familiar, cold student would be my barrier this time. No one. Not a block between me and the black haired girl. I was alone, but I could understand something. I wasn’t being protected. I had to learn how to take my own damage. I won’t play around anymore.

Crimson crossed her arms, “Honestly. You would’ve thought you’d learn by now. I still can’t believe you came here, after everything that's happened. When are you going to drop out? There hasn’t been a single magical thing you’ve done. I’m starting to think even your parents are as dumb as you.”

Stop it. “Don’t say that.” I gritted my teeth, already clawing through the clothing I covered the scarring with. “I’m not leaving.” Be quiet. I didn’t have much control over my body now, my emotions were the only thing guiding me. “You don’t talk about my dad like that.” I watched myself stand up and face her, the fogginess of tears around my vision. 

“He isn’t dumb.” One step toward. “He isn’t weak.” Numb mouth. “He won’t quit.” I glared at her dead in eye, a total feeling of anger overwhelming me. I’ve never gotten mad at someone or anything. I’ve always been told being rude is disrespectful and bullying. Whenever I felt upset, I’d stop myself before it got worse, but I couldn’t stop myself here. People were watching. I had Ezell’s attention. I couldn’t back away now.

My hands closed in together, “I’m not useless or distressed or anything. I’m just as strong as the people before me, maybe even more.” I stood firm in my place, “I will be in charge. No matter what you say.” It was an urge I never was used to having. Like I finally got around to opening an ancient case and a little bit leaked out. I felt my hand raise and swipe in some direction, not realizing until a few seconds of silence and drops of red hit the ground. I had hurt someone. 

I instantly wanted to back away. “I..” I stared at my balled fist and stuffed it into my pockets. It was hard to believe I just did that. Green stood up, adjusting their sleeves from underneath the jacket. “It’ll be best for us to leave now. Thank you for your time, President. We’ll go to our dorm and get ready, we’ll leave for our departure in the morning.” 

Elenore called once to us when Lin wrapped their arm across my shoulders, pushing us at equal power out of the doorframe. “Wait!” I could hear Foster’s hushed protests, though the pale student had the better idea. They didn’t respond, just continued to walk us back in the direction of where we came. 

I hesitated to speak, noticing that they still didn’t let go of me. “Sorry.” I muttered, rubbing my wrist. They didn’t respond until we passed through the corridor into the dorm setting.   
Lin lowered their head, “Don’t apologize, Emmi.” They followed what they said before and walked to their personal room, “You have to hurt people sometimes.” 

I didn’t have anything else to say, so I turned my back to them and walked into my room, shutting the door behind me.


	19. Chapter 19

“Might as well try to break off your chains, it could never be the same with us stuck lying.”

I stayed silent for what felt like years, just sitting on the edge of my bed. I could hear Green’s voice get louder every few moments, with a closing door sound triggering it. Their footsteps sounded like they were going in circles, trying to keep themselves occupied, while pacing. 

I couldn’t bring myself to grab my bag and start packing- I didn’t pack for a road trip, only for school and what it may throw at me. The only thing I thought to do was to talk to someone that wasn’t magical or supernatural. The most recommended option in my case was Dad.

He has no magic power or godly abilities, just being a great guy and parent but I don’t think that counts as a superpower. The only thing I think would be considered a downside is the fact he isn’t home a lot, but he makes up for it by making time to be there for important things like birthdays or school events. I think that sounds like a good dad to me.

I held the phone in my hand, the one I got on my thirteenth birthday. Just two years ago this thing was brand new. I remember Nan was nervous about me having a cell phone. She’d complain and say, “She’ll always be on it! The internet will suck her in and she won’t come back!” Though, Dad always responded with, “Emmira always comes back.” And he’s right. I always do.

Going through the homescreen and contacts really brought the factor clear that I haven’t been on it for only a couple of days. I found his number that was saved under the favorites category and just as I was about to call him, there was knocking at my door.

Lin popped their head open, peeking inside to look at me, “I’m going out for a few hours. Add me to your contacts and text if you need anything.” They tossed their dark colored device onto the space beside me. On the screen was their phone number and a lot of addresses and notes. I took a moment to add their contact to my own device and handed it back to them.

“Where are you going?” I asked, and they shrugged, “Someone needs to get supplies. Your frilly dresses won’t cut it for combat.” I frowned, pouting a bit. “I have shorts!”

They turned their back and headed to the door, “Survival over style, Bliuse!” I didn’t understand what they called out when they left. “Bliuse” was a word I didn’t know, does it mean something? Elenore might know, but I also had a feeling that they don’t.

My attention was brought back to the phone. After shutting the dorm door, I planted myself on the small couch in the lounge area. I dialed a few numbers and waited for the person to pick up.

Dad’s voice was heard, “Hello, how you doin’? This is Joshua Blue, caterer and cook for the Chesireh Company! How may I help you today?” I was used to hearing his intro, which is what he trained himself to say with any call he got.

“Hi, Dad.” I greeted and I could hear his smile, “Emmi! Oh, thank Gods, you’re safe. I started to get worried. How is everything? Is school alright?”

I nodded to his question, forgetting he couldn’t see me, “I’m alright. School’s fine. How are you?” I could tell he made a thumbs up in real life. 

He still answered verbally, “Nothing sour today!” He meant nothing bad happened and that he was okay too. “What’s happened so far? If you want to tell me.” 

I knew I couldn’t beat around the bush with this question. We both knew that this Academy had everything but normal. “Well, I’ve made a few friends. This year’s president is really nice. Uh, teachers are strange.” Joshua was a very nosy person, so I went ahead and shared the hero thing with him.

It rendered him speechless. He soon found his words, “Emmi, you know that I love you, right? Both me and Nan do. Very, very much.” I nodded and he kept talking, “I.. It’s none of my business to control your life or decide what you do. You’re a grown lady and all I want is for you to be safe. If..” He took a deep breath and finished his statement, “If you… died, I don’t think I could handle myself.

“You’re my pride and joy and all I want is for you to be happy.” Now he had set me silent. I always considered him a caring parent, that I was luckier than most people, but I still couldn’t help but be taken aback by what he said.Thankfully, he recognized the awkwardness and changed the subject, “What kind of friends did you make?” 

I thought back to people I had met. How do I describe them? “They’re all so different,” I started, “I met three boys named Kip, Sean, and Jackson. All three of them are best friends, but they don’t hold that against each other or me. Then another girl who’s Ezell came up to me and tried to, I don’t know, is attract me the right word?” 

Joshua shook his head through the phone, “Maybe. Either way, that was a bit rude of her.” I nodded and carried on, “Then I also met someone who goes by Lin who helped me enroll. They’re also my roommate and kind of weird in their own way.” 

I could hear his smile through his voice, “All of them sound so unique. I think that’s great for you, Emmira.” I could hear a beeping noise and Nan’s scolding tone at Dad, who responded in a hushed scream. 

“Are you cooking?” He confirmed my question, “Momma’s doing her puzzle and wants her gaming treat to help her focus.” Nan liked putting together puzzles and crafting games, as she would also ask Dad to make her a special gaming snack to get her in the mood to play. I don’t know how to make the special treats, seeing as Dad would immediately brush it off, but I can only assume they’re made especially for Grandmother Blue.

A thought came to me randomly, “Hey, can I tell you their last names? Maybe you’ve catered to their family before.” I could hear him nod so I continued. “Uh- Williams, Crimson and Green? Do any of those ring a bell?”

Dad stopped working for a second to think. When Nan snapped at him again, he got back to work and answered. “I think I’ve catered to Williams before. Amber Williams, I believe her name was. Probably the kid’s mom. She asked for a dramatic and big cake for her sister’s wedding, then added later for a few cupcakes for her own family.

“Never had a Crimson. Not a Green either, but a Greenland. Some birthday party, then in the next few days after I saw the posts, there were alerts going around that some kid was missing. I haven’t looked it up at all and I don’t remember the name. It happened a long time ago, a few years back, so sorry.” Mr. Blue finished. 

I thought for a moment--- maybe Lin was that missing kid? They did say their family wasn’t the brightest. They never wore a badge like I had to carry around, nothing to show their identity. 

Everything about them pointed towards ‘missing child that ran away and joined school’ but I know if I ask them I’ll either be right and they’ll get mad at me or I’ll be wrong and they’ll get suspicious about me. 

After a few seconds of thinking, I nodded again, “Thanks anyway. There are two other kids but I don’t know their last names.” He smiled into the microphone, “No problem, kiddo. You probably have a lot to do to get ready right now, so I won’t bother you much. If you need anything, just tell me and I’ll do the best I can.” 

I repeated his smile, “Thank you, Dad. I’ll make sure to tell you if anything happens.” There were loud footsteps running up to the door. “I’ll see you later. Have a good day! I love you.” Dad returned the conclusion and hung up. Now to investigate.

From what I know--- no way does Lin walk that fast, I’ve heard their pacing--- this was another person. I couldn’t get to the door in time before it was forced open. A blond kid tumbled forward, Kip, and groaned into the wood floor. 

“Kip!” I gasped and ran in his fallen body’s direction. The boy’s response was muffled and he lifted his head, letting out a gasp that was a bit too unnecessary. 

Williams giggled after looking up at me, “Guess this means I fell for you!” I laughed stiffly and thankfully he saw it as a joke too. He sat up and dusted himself off, “Don’t worry, Blues, you’re a friend to me.” I could recognize small scraps on his knees and arms, like fighting signs.

He waved in a loose, dismissive manner, “I’m alright! Just the popular kids started hunting us down.” Kip wrinkled his nose and wiped it with his sleeve, I could tell a faint dribble of blood falling down his face.

I frowned and glanced at him, “Really? All because Ezell joined us?” He shook his head and slipped off his jacket that was wrapped across his arms, “Nope. She couldn’t keep a secret.” From my confused expression, he told me what happened.

“The whole quest business,” The blond explained, “She was there and heard it. Crimmy went around, fussing about how you punched her and making it out to be bigger than it was. I knew she was exaggerating once the news got to me--- I mean, as one drama queen to another, I know how to point out stupidity---and I already sort of knew about it because of enhanced hearing from God Dad.” 

I felt annoyed but also nervous. “We leave tomorrow and she’s not letting us go without a fight.” He nodded, “Which is why I’ve been standing up for you guys!” I blinked.

Kip rolled his eyes and groaned, “Are you kidding me? Do you really think when you meet me that you’re gonna be forgotten? Emmi, you’re dense, but Stars, I can’t believe this.” 

The geek gestured as he spoke, “Once I found out, I went to Sean and told him, then Jacks soon found out. When we all got together again, we grabbed our friend groups and spilled the truth that the three of us agreed on. We had, like, a big ol’ army! A supporting cast, if you will. Then all of us scattered around and spoke against the rumors. We’re not doing this because you’re a student and really nice,” Kip exclaimed, “We’re doing this because you’re our friend and very nice!” 

He quickly added to his ranting, “Plus, we all agree that Ezell deserves a punch or two.” I couldn’t help but laugh and I avoided looking at him, though I could tell he was smiling.

When I got myself back together, I crouched down to sit on the floor with him. “So, I’m assuming you want to join us?” He shrugged but it was obvious I was right, “If it’s alright. I also mentioned it to the boys and they also don’t mind coming with.” 

I’ll be honest--- I really wanted them to come along. Even though Lin was responsible and even a tiny bit reliable, the company of the blonds and raven haired kids was also favored. So, I nodded and accepted him joining us. Kip, Sean, and Jackson have joined the party.

He seemed like he swallowed something sour, “Uh, and another thing Ezell was saying.” I frowned, “What?” Kip rubbed the back of his neck and tugged the orange cover around himself, “I hate this so much, but I figure you should know since you’re the leader here.”

Kip stayed silent for a few minutes, making the suspense unbearable. Finally, I got irritated, “Just say it!” He broke out into a fit of laughter, “Okay- Okay- I got you.”

He crossed his arms and put on a serious yet neutral expression, “She’s going around saying she’s a part of the hero gig.”


	20. Chapter 20

“Find her in the sky. She caused the tears you cry. What’s it gonna take to convince you I’m okay?”

A cold-hot feeling overran me. Like I’ve said, I’ve never really gotten angry about someone or something, but at this point I was starting to get so done with her antics. “Excuse me?”

Kip looked like he was stuck leaning away or getting more hyper. “I know, right? This is so dumb.” Though I was more focused on a different matter.

I put my head into my hands, drawing my skin back. “Stars, what will Lin think? They’re probably the person who wanted Ezell gone the most! If they hear about this, they’re either going to blame me or get angry at everyone else.” 

He raised an eyebrow, his body settling on leaning away from me. “You think of them a lot already. What’s going on here?” I could tell what he was implying so I shook my head, making me a bit dizzy in the end. 

Thankfully, he took that answer just fine. The silence stood for a moment, just soaking up the disappointing news. Williams rocked in place, it was clear he was starting to reach his limit with being still. That limit was breached once the boy jumped up and shoved his hands into the jacket that was normally always at his elbows. 

“Just sitting here all day won’t change anything,” He piped in and lightly poked me with his foot, “So get up. We have to do something or I think I might die waiting.” The exaggeration was concerning but it still managed to crack a giggle from me. 

I nodded soon after and stood back up, being only a few inches shorter than him. I was starting to come to terms with how short I was compared to everyone else. The blond only emphasized this dull feeling with a teasing laugh and pat on the head. Now I understand how much shorter people feel anger whenever they’re made fun of.

I kept the gray cardigan on me, layering it with one of the denim jackets I had received a few years prior. I’m not a big jacket person, but I was forced to wear one since it was getting dark outside and I’ve noticed that the academy keeps the temperature on the freezing end. 

Both of us stepped out into the hallway and started walking, the other two parts of the group being recognizable in the distance. Most of the lights were off by now, as it had reached sunset and going into the evening, so if there wasn’t the exception of the few lamps in the hallway giving off a faint glow, it would be pitch black.

Sean was very easy to notice first, having usually been in bright clothing. He seemed to glow a faint yellow, similar to how the sun looked. I was also used to seeing Jackson with his umbrella or hood up over his head. I don’t understand why he’s always covered in layers, since he might get hot easily in the warm temperatures, but it might just be a him thing. Though, the different thing was the fact he actually didn’t have anything up. The boy did shy away from the lamps and Sean, but it was still weird. 

Williams didn’t seem to be too distracted by this new fact, putting on a new emotional stature. He huffed and crossed his arms, though a faint smile was still present, “Since Bubbles is here now,” I opened my mouth to protest before closing it, it’s a silly nickname, “Crimmy is still out being crappy not at all dandy.” 

Jackson blinked and narrowed his eyes at the blond, “Did you seriously do a rhyme? I know you’re a musical lover, but Stars.” He fidgeted with the umbrella handle that hung at his belt. There were details I wasn’t able to make out before when he had it open, and still hard to see in the dark.

Kip smiled, putting a hand on his chest and raising his head proudly. “It’s my job and my honor to make you disappointed.” He bounded past the two boys and ran down the hall, his steps pounding loudly in the corridor. 

Bright stepped out of the way of his trail and looked down at me. “You okay? This probably isn’t exactly the nicest welcome you’ve gotten.” He tried to laugh it off, but it didn’t sway me that well. 

I lowered my head, taking a few steps in the direction the eccentric ran off in. “I’ve seen worse.” My hands played with the hems of the cardigan I normally wore, “We had a guest over at our house one time. We got so into it- dressed up, cleaned the entire house, did everything to make it perfect. When the guest got there, we had a whole thing planned only for them to look around, take something, and leave.” The memory didn’t so much as it did, but it still stung and left a sour taste.

Sean frowned, bringing his arms up to hug himself, not that he really needed the comfort. “I- Wow. That was rude. So much for hospitality.” I could tell he didn’t exactly know what to say. I couldn’t blame him, it’s hard to respond to information sometimes.

The taller student turned to look back in the direction the two had gone, Jackson seemingly having left without a trace. “Let’s go ahead and leave.” He suggested, “Kip’ll probably run back and tell us to move it.” I nodded as he turned his back to me and jogged down the hallway.

The next location I found myself in was somewhere I recognized. In between the hallways with the classes and dorm rooms were intersections that were decorated with soft furniture and spare electronics for any of the students who didn’t have those kinds of things, but I could tell the material that was used in the area wasn’t the usual comforter-ish textures. This room was ready to get messy and the thought of the delicate roses getting smashed was almost heartbreaking.

The sweetness of it all was broken when a separate group’s presence came in. I should know- They were radiating ‘I can’t wait to beat up kids’ energy. I didn’t have to look over to know who was at the front of it all. 

“Didn’t take long for us to be on opposite sides like this, huh?” A voice I recognized as Kip’s commented, with lingering amusement in his tone. 

Another voice spoke up, most likely Ezell’s. “I’m not here to talk to you, freak. I’m here for the shortie.” 

There was a spike in Kip’s agitation. He was good at talking, but it was a challenge when someone didn’t have the patience to. I could also tell Jackson had a growing bubble of anger burning up.

If I stood by even longer, the situation would get worse. I haven’t witnessed that much of the boys’ power, but I knew there would be some complications. I raised my voice from the back of the group, “Face me, then.”

Ezell smiled from her front position, “Good.” There was a different combination of emotions with her. Pride, annoyance, irritation- was there even embarrassment? 

She had apparently changed outfits from earlier that day. Instead of the regular feminine clothing I was used to seeing her wear, she had switched to shorts but still kept the red flannel theme. She had enough confidence to even change clothing styles, surprisingly.

There was a staggering movement in front of me that I could register as the other three trying to get in front of me. Though that broad amount of bravery was drowned out once there was a red glow from Ezell. That same red glow I’ve been able to label as her summoning a weapon.

“You have guts being able to even land a hit on me,” She started up and difficulty prickled at her words. “You even forced me to join your strange little quest! Then you turn around and say I’m not allowed to come along!” The other girls behind her gasped and whispered amongst each other. They were probably Crimson’s gang, with how easily they believed what she was saying.

My hands mindlessly messed with the buttons on the denim jacket. “What do you mean? You forced yourself into the situation after Elenore talked about it and I asked about it.” Two shadows in front of me stepped back, with one keeping still but I could make out faint trembling in his figure.

Crimson fumed, “How dare you accuse me of that! Do you have some serious memory loss or what?” I was starting to feel bad for the other girls she dragged along with her. Just imagining that they probably had to deal with this constant change all the time-

I shook my head, answering both her question and ridding myself of the uncomfortable thought. This wasn’t apparently the right way to answer her, because this just made her even more upset.

She raised the blade she held in her hands up in my direction, like she was thinking the best way to chop me off. “I’m gonna make you regret even coming to this school, Blue.” Ezell took one step forward, raised her sword up and seconds before hitting--

“What’s going on here?”

We all stopped. There wasn’t a wave of magic controlling me, but even the new sound still shocked us. Ezell’s fiery laughter broke the silence, “Wow! Didn’t think-”

“You don’t ever think, Crimson.” All movement tied to the dark haired girl ceased. I never thought I’d be so relieved to see such a thing. 

When I looked over to see the source, a long haired blonde wearing a dark sundress stood between the two groups. I couldn’t recognize who it was, but I had a feeling who it could’ve been.

The blonde held a small bag of different colored beads. They turned in our direction and approached us. As they drew closer, I could pick out their sharp green eyes, eyes that could tell anything with one look.

They took out a blue bead that had a fish print painted on it and handed it to me. “It can expand into a book bag and I already packed it with what I got for you. In case you can’t figure out how to open it, there’s bottles of water and healing treats, pairs of clothes with armor built in, and alternate weapons in case you’re unable to use your own.” 

I was grateful, but one thing bugged me. I took off my necklace and looped it with the other gem I had on it, clipping it back around my neck. “Uhm..” I mumbled, “Excuse me?” 

The green eyed blonde was to the other boys, handing them orange and yellow and black beads, while explaining their functions to them. They hummed and glanced back at me, my blue and their green eyes meeting for a moment before they averted their gaze. 

“Lin?” Kip finished my thoughts as he usually did. 

The newcomer raised an eyebrow and glared at him, “What gave you that idea? Think just because I dressed feminine means I can’t be referred to as a basic human being?” 

They paused talking with Jackson to stalk over and quickly slap the side of his arm, which was followed by a pained “Ow!”

They brought their attention back to the opposing side after pushing the black bead into Jackson’s hands. “And you!” At Lin’s change in target, the frozen pose broke and Ezell was given back freedom of action.

“How dare you think you can change that quickly!” They held on a pointed finger and poked her continuously, “And before you even think of using mental illness as an excuse, I’m not taking it!” 

Ezell didn’t do anything, just standing there and staring blankly at Lin. I couldn’t understand why, if she was shocked or in awe or whatever she was feeling. It became a little clearer when Lin paused to take a breath from their torment and Ezell looked to the side, putting her two fingers together and tapping them nervously. 

“I didn’t know you could look like that..” She commented under her breath, the previous confidence temporarily fading. I was getting kind of annoyed with Lin too.

What Crimson said, though, seemed to anger Green even more. “Excuse me?” They snapped, “You think you can wind up the school on your side and fight my friends, then turn around and try to make it better? ‘Cause no. No, you can’t.”

Ezell blinked, confused. She opened her mouth to defend herself but Lin continued. “I am getting sick of seeing you around here! Do you ever stop? Do you ever shut the hell up?” Now this was an amount of anger I wasn’t able to take.

I stepped forward, clutching both the original and new pearls on my necklace. “Lin, please. Calm down.” 

They spun around to face me, their face fuming. “Don’t tell me to calm down! Here you are, playing around like Michael! Why don’t you stop?”

They didn’t stop at me either. Lin glared at the blond boys, “And you two! Do you ever stop to think you’re too much for people? That you need to tone your energy down? I thought a verbal and an emotional user would know that by heart!”

It was probably a rude thought, but I realized how much of a hypocrite they could be. Yelling about everyone switching up and changing emotions, then next second they’re changing up on everyone. For a brief moment I hoped they didn’t read that, but it was probably too late.

Because apparently they did.

Lindolyn paused, their eyes darting to stare at me. Emotions were hard to read with them, but it was somehow easier to recognize the growing embarrassment they were having. They tore their eyes away and found interest in the floor tiles.  
The person I didn’t expect to speak up next was a surprise.

“Please, leave.” He waved a hand in the background party of Ezell. I noticed the darkness in each of their expressions and wondered if they’d cower away like Scholar Crete did. Instead, they nodded with some newfound peacefulness and walked away. I tried to check on Jackson to see what he did, but he didn’t look back at me.

Jackson walked beside the blonde, stepping up on his toes to lean up to reach them. They seemed to whisper amongst each other. A warping feeling of worry welled up, that was drained once Lin seemed to relax. 

Green cleared their throat but still didn’t look at any of us. “Sorry.” Apologies weren’t their strong suit- it was coming off as scary and intimidating and knowing everything. 

Bright stepped forward and spared a smile, “It’s okay.” He had something in his hands, something small and glowing, like a freeform light. He held it out to them, the form warping into the silhouette of a sunflower. 

Their hands bloomed, twitching and hesitating. The light flower twisted into their palm and faded into their skin. “I hope you learn to accept each of us.”

Their eyes widened and fixated on the flower, surprise clear in their face. Lin brought their hands to their chest, closing their hands in return and looking down at their feet.

A beat of silence, then a difficult tone came out of their mouth. “... Thank you.” It was still so strange to hear something like that from them, for a moment I forgot that I needed to move and breathe.

Kip flailed his hand around, “This is nice and all,” He interrupted, “but we came out here for a reason.” The boy pointed at the dark haired girl, “She spread rumors around about her coming along this quest, and a bunch of other nonsense I didn’t bother to listen to. We came here to fight, but now it feels like we’re not. So.. What’re we gonna do?”

I had forgotten I was seen as the leader of the quest with the rush of all this. With the attention of 4 sets of eyes on me, I felt self conscious. I quickly looked at Lin’s defensive state.

“Lin?”

They blinked, supposedly zoning out. Their body snapped back into an upright position and looked from me to Ezell. It was quick and frantic. I almost wanted to scramble away too.

The blonde looked at the shorter girl for a moment, as if trying to figure out the best way to word their words. Finally, they opened their mouth.

“She’s coming with us.”

It all came crashing down. Shock. Surprise. Disbelief. Maybe even anger. It was a jumble of random emotions that was painful to read into.

Williams was the first to speak our thoughts. “What the hell?” 

Lin looked over their shoulder and stared directly down at him. “Did I stutter, Alexander?”

It sounded like a nickname, but for all I knew, it wasn’t. He backed away, like it hit harder than anything else. I didn’t hear another word from him.

I could feel their eyes trained on me, but I didn’t look back at them. It was a challenge. I fought back by looking at Ezell.

Crimson was agape. She stumbled with her words, stuttering and losing order. Her confidence was gone for sure.

Green seemed to accept this as a conclusion. They clapped their hands together, “Well! This was fun!” They turned around, the waist length platinum hair falling out and turning over their shoulder. The student walked away in the direction of the dorms.

I shuffled my feet on the floor and ran after them. No particular reason. The awkward energy was getting to be unbearable. It would probably follow, but I needed to get away from it. Emotion reading was growing to the point of exhaustion to follow.

Their steps slowed and merged with mine, soon we were walking side by side together down the hallway back to our rooms. With all the choosing sides and fighting- it was nice to feel like at the end of the day we were still the same.

Lin entered through the open dorm door, frowning at the scratch marks on the floor from the incident earlier. They stepped into the main room, rolling their shoulders back. The length of their hair shortened and rose to a bob cut. I stared for a second, but decided not to mention it.

Instead, I spoke out the thing that was nagging me the second the decision was made. “Why’d you let Ezell come with us?”

Lindolyn didn’t say anything. They just pushed me into my room and turned into theirs. I stood silently in mine, looking at the interior.

I hadn’t bothered to look it over before. Like the lounge arena, this was just as bland yet complex. White walls with a slowly fading in blue tint, all the cushions and decor following suit. The bag I was packing in earlier was still on the bed. It seemed less appealing now.

“This was all sudden on you, Emmi.”

I turned and saw a familiar face. There was still Lin, but they were in a more recognizable form. They weren’t holding anything which confused me.

They glanced at the inside of the bedroom, walking over and brushing a lace fabric in between their fingers. 

“Why?”  
Green didn’t answer. They turned and faced me, a mischievous grin on their face.

“We’ll get to be the first ones to see when she fucks up.” They answered, “Now get your things together.”


End file.
